The Frozen Girl
by Katie the pure one
Summary: Years ago, a homeless orphan was abducted by the Whitecoats off the streets of New York. She meets and befriends another experiment, then is frozen in a cryogenic chamber. 10 years later, they meet once again. As much Fax as possible, Eggy, Nazzy &others.
1. Prologue: The Beginning

AN: Hey everybody. I'm new here, and this is basically a test. I want to see if I can actually write. At all. And this is the first fanfic I've ever submitted, so if I mess up or can't write, tell me and I'll fix it or something. I only have a limited plotline for this fic, so once I run out, I'm kinda' screwed. If anyone still likes this then (or at all, ever) I can try. I type the way I talk, so some "errors" are there on purpose. On to business...

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Maximum Ride, or anything copyrighted that I may mention.

Inner Happy: Yeah, and she/I plan(s) on using any random song that pops up and lots of references and-

Me: Go away. Guys, seeing as there is a lack of MR characters left to kidnap, I'm stuck with only myself to comment. I explain it on my pofile. If they/I cross the creepy line, I can probably keep them away from the keyboard...

IP: Or not...

Me: -sigh- You're right. One note on the story, KSPoV=Katie's subconscious' point of view. Along with her psychic power, she can break the fourth wall, but doesn't know it. This shows up from time to time, but I think it breaks the flow a bit. Also, please help me make sure no one goes Mary-Sue/Gary-Stu, which I have a problem with. Now, because this is too long, "Let's a go!"

* * *

(KPoV)(_KSPoV_)

"Take it to the cryogenic chamber," the Whitecoat turned to us. "Don't worry little freaks. I'll give you time to say goodbye." C'mon guy, just get a little closer 'n' I'll _spit_ that smirk off your face! Wait…cryogenic…freezing…goodbye?! No! The metal door slammed shut, echoing through the room. I looked over to the boy in the cage across from mine. He stared at me in confusion.

"Wha-"he began.

"Cryogenic means freezing, able to freeze. They're going to freeze me in either a room, a tube, or a box," I told him. We had only known each other about 8 months now, but we were good friends. I could tell he wanted me to say that I was joking, that he could go to sleep and wake up with me there, right across the aisle. But I couldn't, and he knew it.

I had only been 3 when my parents died, and he was only 4 now. He was losing someone close to him, just like I did. And just like I did, he would find someone to trust. I had found him, and he would find the girl he would love.

"No, I-n-no. Why? Why you?" he stammered, the words tumbling out of his mouth. The devastation was clear in his eyes. It was time to tell him what I had seen.

"Don't worry." I said in the voice I reserved for telling him about my visions, causing him to look at me hopefully. Good luck with that. "You'll be fine. A few days ago, I had a vision about you. You'll meet someone who'll steal your heart, and it won't take you long to realize you want her to have it. But she…she will take many years to realize she wants you to have her heart as well. You'll be happy."

He stared at me in dismay; maybe he was expecting me to say I'd escape soon. Again: good luck with that. "Katie, no, I-" the metal door whooshed open, like something out of Star Trek. My friend looked panicked. This was it, and he knew it.

I looked at him as the Whitecoat came across the room to my cage. We had never said goodbye, it was too final, he would wave and I would say, "See ya' sometime, kid." Or Squirt. Whichever I felt like at the moment. But not now. "Goodbye, Squirt." I felt the Whitecoat lift my cage off the ground, smelled the extra-antiseptic like smell that came from each and every one of them. As my prison of a dog crate was carried closer to the door, I whispered, "See ya' somewhere." Then, the door closed, and he was gone.

The bleak, white hallways seemed endless. My crate was smooth and cold against my back. Normally, I would give other experiments a smile in passing, and when I didn't, those who had been around a few days and were semi-coherent glanced my way worriedly. Finally, we stopped, and I felt the slight whoosh of air as the door slid open.

Inside, there was a single tube made of glass with a metal top and bottom by the wall. There were metal control consoles, like shiny grey crates with buttons and keypads, connected to it. A group of about 5 or 6 Whitecoats turned to us as we entered. One was fiddling with the controls, making final adjustments, I guess. 'Cause everything has to go just freaking _perfect_ when you _freeze me!_

The guy at the controls pressed a button and the top of the tube opened. The Whitecoat that brought me there opened my cage and took me out, a lot rougher than need be. Gah. He carried me up a medium sized stepladder, about as tall as me, an average height 7-year-old. He held me over the opening by the armpits, and unceremoniously dropped me in. I hit the bottom with a thud that reverberated throughout my body…yeah, freak-girl reads. I _used_ to be normal, well, normalish. I stood up and just stared into nothingness, I guess it's delayed reaction. I remembered back to the fire. Some kind of freak electrical fire had started in my apartment in New York City. I was a weird 3-year-old, so I was out on the rusty fire escape at 1:00 AM. I was off in my own world and didn't see the flames or smell the smoke until my only way in was unusable. I climbed down the fire escape and ran into the allies. A few days later, an electronics store with the TVs on display had on the news. There was a story about an apartment fire, with 2 adult bodies found and 1 child apparently burned completely to ashes, but no survivors found. I didn't want to go to a foster home or get adopted, so I lived on the streets. I begged and pick pocketed and went dumpster diving. If I had to run from police, or to get away with stuff I stole or pick pocketed, I was a dirty blonde, green eyed blur in need of glasses, food, and clothes. A few days after I turned 7, I had fallen asleep in an ally, carelessly unhidden. I had woken up to a prick in my arm, then went out like a light. When I came to, I was a psychic in a dog crate. The Whitecoats had kept me unconscious for a week while they took me to Death Valley and messed with my brain.

Alright, I had had _enough_ of memory lane. It was getting colder. Soon, I'd be like a TV dinner. The ice began to visibly creep in around me on the surface of the glass. If I thought of something good as I was frozen, I would be thinking a good thought for I don't know how many years.

_Allow me to break the fourth wall for a moment. Many of you ultra-shippers out there probably think the boy in the beginning is also an OC. You think you want him and Katie to end up together, but you don't. Trust me._

So I pulled up a memory of my latest vision about my friend. His dark eyes sparkled as they met her brown ones, his hand running through her brown hair as his black hair fell messily into his eyes. Her brown wings and his black wings could be seen sprouting out from behind them. The ice crept in further and I could feel my body slowing down. He leaned in, and as I watched what would someday be their lips meeting, my body froze, and I was gone.

* * *

AN: I've been reading fanfiction for a long time, so there's something I've wanted to say for a while...

R&R? Yeah...you saw that one coming. If I made any errors, please tell me. I'm kinda' OCD about spelling, but I can't edit for my life. I don't have anything else typed up yet, but I can try for...a week? No guarantees. I only write/draw when my muse comes to me, so not that often. See ya'.


	2. 1 Blood on a Frozen Floor

AN: Chapter 2, finally! I've been working for longer than I should have to on this! Yay!

IP: She's a bit hyper…

Me: It's Sunday and I have pizza and peanut butter cookies! And the plot starts soon!

IP: In a few chapters, yeah…

Me: Oh, thanks to my, uh, 3 reviewers, "for the love of Iggy ", "Zollo", and "SpikeyGirl".

IP: Yeah, thanks for not telling us about the spelling errors…

Me: Well, there's that…to the disclaimer! Awaaaaay!

**Disclaimer: **I own my Zelda stuff, my OC(s), and my books. But not stuff that's not mine.

Now to continue!

* * *

(KPoV)

I couldn't see. Everything was dark. But that may have been because my eyes were closed. I would've opened them, but they felt…well no, they didn't, I couldn't feel my eyelids, or anything for that matter. I heard the ice slowly creeping away. It was getting warmer. But I still couldn't feel anything. I could hear Whitecoats outside the tube, giving instructions, trying to figure out if I was dead. No you nimrods, I've just been _frozen_ for a month or two!

Now I could feel my arms and legs, but I wished I couldn't. It felt like I was being jabbed by pins and needles everywhere. On the plus side, I could finally open my eyes. I looked out of the tube to see white, white, white. Yep, still at the School. Dang it!

The top of the tube opened and I was grabbed under my arms by a Whitecoat. He practically dragged me down the stepladder and threw me onto the floor. The polished, white-tiled, antiseptic smelling floor. Whatever subconscious part of me that'd had to stare at these white walls and smell this stupid antiseptic was fed up.

I attempted to speak, but my throat felt like sandpaper, I wasn't going to let that stop me, though. I tried to force my voice, but hacking coughs shook my body, tearing from my throat. Screw this; I'll say what I'll say! "What…did you _do?!_"

-One science filled rant later-

"-so essentially, you have been frozen for exactly 3 years, down to the second." …WHAT?!

…

!*&#!!!! Curse you Whitecoats for making me swear! And, oh yeah, FREEZING ME!!! I looked around the room for the first time in (apparently) 3 years. There was a dog crate in the corner farthest from the door. As a Whitecoat was dragging me over to it, I heard something like a rubber band snapping. What I didn't realize was that it was me.

My tiny fist met his stomach, and I felt the rush of air as he doubled over. My foot swung up to meet the side of his head, and a drop of blood landed on the perfectly white floor. In the background I could hear a woman, possibly a Whitecoat, calling for Erasers. Just as my other fist was about to hit his jaw in an uppercut, the Erasers came and one threw me into the dog crate.

I looked to the spots of red on that stupid white floor, and satisfaction blossomed in the pit of my stomach. I frowned, this didn't happen often. I was about to drift off to sleep, when the world went foggy, well, foggier than usual seeing as the Whitecoats won't get me prescription glasses. I knew this was a vision.

_A girl stood on the roof of a building, staring out into a sunset. A boy walked up behind her, both of their forms were indistinct and blurry, so this future could be changed. "Max…" the boy said, his voice was full of pain._

_"What?" she asked coldly, as if her heart was made of ice and stone. "Shouldn't you be off with your girlfriend?"_

_"Please, stop." He begged. "You know that's not how it is."_

_"Sure it's not." She responded, as firm and steely as a rock. "That's never how it is." She unfurled a pair of wings and let out a deep breath. "Goodbye Fang." She jumped off the roof and was gone._

The white, white cryogenics room slowly came into half-focus, the vision fading from my mind. I was glad it could be changed, because this was one vision I did _not _want to come true. I quietly closed my eyes and fell asleep.

* * *

I hesitantly sat up and wiped the little crusties (sleepies) out of my eyes. I didn't _feel_ anything out of order, but just to be safe, I gave myself a once over. Hair: still dirty blond and still down to my elbows. Eyesight: still blurry because I probably still have astigmatism. Skin: very, _very_ pale. That can't be healthy. Was it like that before?

I had a sudden thought, and lifted my right hand. I looked at the back, and saw a small, pea sized patch of lighter skin. My hand then rose to the left side of my forehead, touching the scar there, forever reminding me of my days on the streets. Thank God, they were still there.

Most people would want the scar to fade, but I wanted it to stay because it helped me remember what not to do. When I was 4 I had walked into a random alley, prepared to sleep. Then, a man about 30 or 40 years old had risen out from behind a trash can. He was most likely drunk, high, or both, because he yelled for me to get out of his alley.

For some reason, he thought it justified to whip out a knife and cut me. To be honest, it sort of was, in a messed up kind of way. That alley was his home, and I was a trespasser. Eventually, I found an alley of my own and kept people out of it, kept it my own. My scar used to keep splitting open while it was still a healing cut, so I didn't think it'd ever go away.

I wanted to keep it to remind me not to be needlessly cruel, no matter what. Besides, it made me look tougher.

Just then, the door whooshed open, still like the ones in Star Trek. A Whitecoat stepped into the room holding a clipboard, and was followed by three Erasers. And so it began again…

* * *

It'd been 6 years since I was frozen before I heard some Whitecoats whispering behind their clipboards. I wouldn't have known if I didn't have crappy eyesight. My other senses compensated by growing stronger, but not as much as a blind person's would. I could tell they were talking, but not what they were saying exactly. The door opened, and another Whitecoat entered.

One of the two who were whispering stepped to the cryogenic freezing chamber's controls, while the other was approached by the man who entered. "Dr. Batchelder," he seemed a bit frazzled as he walked to the guy not at the controls. "I don't think the procedure is quite safe for the experiment, it could cause irreversible psychological damage. That's not a risk we can take with this unique specimen."

Uh, yeah, I agree. Whatever life threatening thing you plan to do, don't take the risk. "Nonsense Dr. Johnston. I'm sure it will be fine." Okay I _really_ didn't like this Batchelder guy. Not just because he was deadest on torturing me, but I just didn't like his face. He had a suckish face. It wasn't a face someone should have.

Dr. Johnston sighed, and came over to open my cage. "If you say so, Jeb." I was grabbed by the forearms and dragged out of my dog crate and onto the floor. That blood stain from 6 years ago was still there, but it was faded to pink. Hah, they couldn't get it off.

"And I do say so. Besides, if it could survive 3 years, I doubt 5 more would make much difference." 5 years. 5 years. Five. Years. This guy's _insane_. Did he not hear about me going ballistic last time I came out, or is he too stupid to care?

He grabbed me by the arms and began to carry me up the steps to the tube. I kicked weakly, knowing that it wouldn't do a !*&# thing. Dang, I swore again. The Whitecoat at the tube's control boxes pushed a button and the top opened. I was dropped in, but this time I was prepared and landed in a crouch.

I stood and looked out. The glass seemed much more confining, the rapidly decreasing temperature chilling me to my soul. I took a deep breath, steeling myself as the ice crept in around me. As I gazed upon the room for what would possibly be the last time in 5 years, my sights landed on Dr. Batchelder. There he stood, with his smug face, his stupid, smug, suckish face. His…familiar face.

Where did I know him from? Why was he here? Suddenly, it hit me.

Jeb Batchelder, the man who would nearly ruin my friend's life.

And then I was gone.

* * *

AN: It's late Sunday night and I am sad. School. Science. French, the class from h-e-double-toothpicks. Blech.

IP: Yeah...

Me: Week 3 and I already have projects due. My teachers went insane over the summer. The only good part is Fresh Trash, a class about playing songs on trash cans. W00t!

IP: The plot...?

Me: Oh yeah! **IMPORTANT!!!!!!!!1! **Guys, the real Fax is a few chapters away, so until then I need to know by about 9:00 PM tonight if I should give Katie a pairing. I have the OC all set up, so I'll try putting up a poll or something, but to be safe, review with your opinion please.

IP: Which brings us to...

Me: Heh heh, R&R? That's still fun, but I'd like more than I got for Chapter 1...plz?

IP: Don't beg...

Me: Yeah, no, lame. Sorry. Uhhh...thankyouandgoodnightI'llseeyousometimebye!

IP: No comment...


	3. 2 Dream of the Past

AN: Hey again guys! It's Friday night, I'm slightly over-tired, and this was written before chapter 1! I just checked my reviews, and I got 3! Yay! I'll finish this AN when I've finished/started chapter 1!

IP: Hopefully you'll be saner then...

Moar AN: Typing on Monday. Oh. My. God.

IP: School, no, just no...

Me: Meh. Trying to upload profile pic. It's not working. The dude that designed this part sits on a throne of lies. It's cutting off everything but the middle, I worked hard on that pic. and it's killing it! -hyperventilates-

IP: Calm down, Dad'll fix it...

Me: I hope so, that's the closest I'll get to showing a poor tortured psychic named Katie. -sigh- Either way...

**Disclaimer:** I don't own MR or anything else I don't own. So...yeah.

I'll put more stuff at the bottom, like number of reviews, thanking reviewers, and the poll results. Yay, on with this crud! Oh, and, let's do the time warp agaaaaiiinnn!

IP: Where's that from...?

Me: I dunno, I heard it somewhere, but it's been one year since Katie was frozen, 'kay? _Now,_ on with this crud!

* * *

(3rd PersonPoV)(_KSPoV_)

Ever since the recent adventures in Hawaii, the flock had been staying in a government building. In the past, it had been a remote training facility for new military recruits. It had a large mess hall and several hallways with bedrooms branching out. They were allowed to fly around the surrounding forest, and could do mostly whatever they wanted as long as no one was hurt and nothing important was damaged.

Fang hadn't been sleeping that well lately, and though he'd never admit it, he felt like something was missing. As far back as he could remember, he'd had a feeling that there was something he was forgetting. Something important. When he'd met Max, she made the feeling go away at first. It came back at times, but not as noticeable, especially since they had gotten together.

On this particular night, he was having an odd dream. It felt familiar to him, like a memory long since lost in the sands of time.

_So let's watch, shall we?_

_He stared across the aisle, into the dog crate exactly like his. There was a girl there, with dirty blond hair going down to about her elbows. Her knees were up to her chest, her arms wrapped around them. Her skin was pale, as if she spent her whole life in darkness, not surprising in this place._

_She tilted her head far back, as if to look at the ceiling. She sighed deeply, as if she would rather be anywhere else. He could relate. She hadn't seemed to notice him, so he cleared his throat to get her attention. Her head snapped forwards in surprise, her grassy green eyes squinting and unfocused. She seemed to realize he was watching her, and did something not many experiments could do. "Hi."_

_"Hi." He replied. "Do you have a name?" he asked, in the vain hope she was truly coherent, not just parroting what she had heard from Whitecoats._

_"Yeah. I'm Katie. Do you have a name?" she pondered._

_"Yeah. I'm Fang." He mocked. She smiled, amused. _

_"So, what are you? Do you have any powers?" she questioned. He hesitated, not sure if he should tell her anything. Then again, she was the first person to listen to him, and actually understand what the words meant. He might never get another chance like this…_

_"Yeah. I'm 2 percent avian. So I don't have powers, but I have wings." To prove his point, he moved his wings as much as his crate allowed so she could see._

_"Wow! I don't got nothin' like that. The big doofusses messed around in my head, so all I got's is one power."_

_"What power?" Fang was now curious. He already felt safe around this girl he barely knew. Making friends here wasn't safe, the Whitecoats would see and make them fight, but he'd enjoy this while it lasted._

_"I'm what normal people call a psychic." She said, as if that was common knowledge._

_"What does that mean? And how would __**you **__know what normal people say?" now he was mad. She was lying to him. She had to be._

_She glared at him slightly, as if he were not a threat but could become one if he kept this up. Her head tilted forwards slightly, showing a prominent scar running from underneath her hair on the left side of her head above her eyebrow to the middle of her forehead. "It means I see the future, and I know 'cause I used __to __**be **__normal."_

_His eyes widened minutely. "You did? What happened?" He didn't want to believe her, but somehow he knew she wouldn't lie to him. Her hand was curling around one of the bars in the door of her crate, exposing a burn mark on the back. "And how did your hand get like that?" It was only the size of a pea, and the burns here were never that small._

_"I was a little kid in a place called New York. It's this huge city, really noisy and stuff. I was outside when there was a fire in my apartment; it's like a house but smaller. My parents died and I ran, I didn't want to live with someone else, so I've lived on the streets since I was 3. I turned 7 two weeks ago, and then I got captured."_

_"Wow. Oh…kay…but what about your hand?" he pressed on. He didn't mean to be rude, but he __**had**__ to know!_

_Katie sighed. "Well, I figured that it wasn't fair that I got out completely unhurt, so I found a match, something that can start a fire, and burned myself. It wasn't the same fire but it was the best I could do." She looked at him and it seemed she wanted to say more, but then the door clanged open._

Fang shot up in bed, startled out of his dream. The flock had paired up in the rooms, Ig and Gaz, Ange, Nudge, and Total, and Max and Fang. Max heard him jump and she, too, woke up. "Fang? What's wrong?" she asked, watching as he slid off the covers.

"Nothing. Go back to sleep." Even if they were together, he still had to seem like The Emotionless Fang. He didn't want to tell her about a dream that might not mean anything. And besides, she would get jealous, him dreaming about another girl. But then again…it had seemed _way_ too real.

She gave him a look he knew meant "You're lying and you know it." He sighed. "I had this dream. Except it was more like a memory. I'm sure it's nothing. Go back to sleep."

She looked at him oddly. "Fang, you're hiding something. What about this dream do you not want me to know?" He sighed again. If she really wanted to know…

"Not sure. It's just…there's this girl there," as he spoke, Max's eyebrows pulled together. What if he liked this girl better than her? "Don't know who she is, but I feel like I do. Don't get it, don't care. It's probably nothing. Go back to sleep." He really wanted the subject to drop.

Max, however, wanted answers. She took a deep breath. "Where do you think you could know her from? Can you tell me about the dream?" So he did. He told her about the feeling of missing something, how she made this feeling dull (at this she looked relieved), and how the girl made the feeling go away, only for it to be replaced by another.

"I, I don't get it." Max said after racking her brain for answers. "You…were probably right, I guess it was nothing, 'cause that's all I'm coming up with. One question, though." She sat down on his bed. "What were you doing dreaming about another girl?" she smirked up at him.

"Max…" he sat beside her, pleading her to understand with his eyes.

And understand she did. She leaned over and pressed her lips to his for just a second. She smiled. "Night." She stood, walked to her bed, and instantly fell asleep.

Fang, eyes wide, let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. Everything was okay between them. He lay down, rolling onto his side, his inky black wings hanging out from under the blanket. He could sleep easy now. After all, it was probably nothing.

* * *

AN: My reviewers aaaaarrrrrreeee..."Tic-Tak!", "something creative" (the dot didn't work! Yay, 2 reviews), "Vina", "Vina is awesome" (same person? I have no idea. Yaay, clueless!), and "ilovefang" (OC=Original Character, a fan character). As for the poll, 2 votes yes, 1 review yes. It's already written into the next chapter, and I can't change it now. I'm way too lazy to do that much work.

IP: The alert...

Me: Oh yeah! Guys, starting now, we are in official **Mary-Sue/Gary-Stu/OOC Watch** mode! I've made a Mary-Sue, and I pay respect to her memory with my username. -sigh- I was sad when I figured out what had happened and there was no turning back. I'm not letting that happen with this fic. No way, but I need your help with it guys.

IP: She does...

Me: Watch my 2 OCs for Mary-Sue and Gary-Stu and the canons for OOCness. I just saved and the word count was 1,777. Huh. Anyways...

R&R? Danke. Yeah...German...

IP: No comment...

Me: Okay, uh, thanks for reviews, faves, and alerts! My family thinks I'm going more insane 'cause I get all happy after I check my email 'n' stuff. So, uh, bye!

IP: The 1997 stuff...

Me: Oh yeah! I need popular kids/teens songs from about 1997-1999, when Katie was 5-7. I'd relly appreciate your help, so send some ideas as long as they're mostly stuff Katie could tolerate. And maybe one thing Katie could gripe about. And something political, like economy, sexists, intelligence, anything. I've already done more research for this than I thought I would, meaning I actually did some at all, and I'm too lazy to do more. So, thanks, and, stuff, and, yeah! ...Bye!

IP: -sigh-


	4. 3 Government and Introductions

AN: Attack of the page breaks!

IP: A lot...

Me: Okay, review time first because I got called intelligent. Oh, God, this is awesome.

IP: Apparently, this is a good story...

Me: I mean, compared to some unreadable ones, it's okay, but it's not exactly Wings of Wrath or anything.

IP: You're just nervous...

Me: Yeah, this is my worst chapter, and now I don't want to disappoint! It's all choppy and I get lazy and and and... -hyperventilates-

IP: Um, breathe...

Me: -gasping- Okay, the reviewers are "I HEART MAXIMUM RIDE" (3 reviews and I'm intelligent and stuff and yay! I could be an author?), "emerald and onyx",

IP: This is going well...

Me: Yeah, wow, um...

**Disclaimer: **I don't own MR, JP does. I don't own Photograph, Nickelback does. I don't own ABC, The Jackson 5 do.

IP: What do you own...?

Me: Uh, Katie, Mr. Cairow (not Cairo, cah-rao), the so far unnamed OC Katie's paired with...Oh, yeah. Another yes for pairing her up. A bit late, but I still love the input.

IP: Math flashbacks...-shudder-

Me: Oh God, no more school, please, make it stop! -sigh- In "Life As We Knew It" they got out of school. I want to be there. Oh, read what's at the end, something I'm gonna try out. Now, because this is long, let's goooooooo!

* * *

(3rd Person PoV)

Jeb had received a call on his cell phone the morning after Fang had told Max about his dreams. It had been from a trusted government official informing him about a mission into the School to search for any experiments that may have survived despite the odds. It was a long shot, but they had to try. Though Jeb couldn't quite shake the feeling that there was something he was forgetting, someone he should remember…

* * *

A large African American man in a crisp, black suit and traditional, Men in Black variety sunglasses walked with his comrades into the building known as the School. He didn't know what to expect, but he and his team were prepared for almost anything. They split into 3 groups, going down the 3 main hallways upon entering.

The man, Mr. Cairow, and his group had gone down the center hallway and traversed deeper and deeper into the building. They had found a few abandoned bodies, but nothing living. They came upon a door with an extra keypad for a maximum security password. For this reason they had brought a sledgehammer.

Once the door was no longer a problem, they entered the room. In this room, there was a dog crate, a trolley of not-so-innocent medical supplies, and a large glass tube that had apparently been frozen. The rest of his group deemed the room unimportant, and made to leave. Cairow didn't think so.

"Hold it." He commanded, the authority clear in his voice. "We need to check it thoroughly." He listened to his gut instinct and stepped up to the tube. He could make out a faint shape inside, and peered harder at it. With a sudden jolt, he realized that it was a person of some sort. "There's someone in here. Work the controls, raise the temperature of the machine."

A lesser ranked agent stepped up to the large metal boxes, and began to type commands. No one noticed the small timer counting down. Just as the heat began to return to the chamber, the numbers hit the equivalent of 4 years and stopped. One year had passed.

* * *

(KPoV)

Warmth. It felt like an eternity had passed, maybe because I sort of knew what to expect. I could hear voices outside the tube, a cry of "Oh, my God! It's a girl" in a female voice, then a male with an authoritative voice commanding "Get her out of there, see if she's alive." …Oh…kay…definitely not Whitecoats. Then…who, exactly? Oh, crap, please don't let it be the government, please don't let it be the government…

As the ice cleared, and I opened my eyes, I saw people in black suits and sunglasses. Ugh. Government.

I shivered. That shouldn't have happened. Did they screw up? Well, they're government, so, probably. The tube opener button thing was pushed, and I was pulled out. A tall dark guy was carrying me down the stepladder. Uh, no. I wriggled my way out of his arms and nimbly landed on my feet. I walked to the controls to check the timer, 4 years exactly. So one year, then in steps the government. And I'd be…17, but I'm 13 instead. Huh.

A hand was on my shoulder, I tensed and spun around to see dark guy staring at me. In a style like an old friend of mine, I raised my eyebrow a bit. He spoke, "Do you speak English?"

No crap, Sherlock. I glared at him. "That depends. Do you speak Cageese?" I retorted sarcastically, then rolled my eyes. I spoke English, Cageese, and a bit of French. My parents had played those learn to speak a language tapes while I was asleep as a baby. Cageese was invented by my friend and I to speak privately around Whitecoats.

Since he was government, I didn't faze him. "We need you to come with us. There are people waiting for you in New Mexico." I was going to argue when the world went a bit fuzzy. Everything looked like it was behind a wall of curved glass. I heard someone clear their throat, to which I said "Hi". The familiar voice replied in the same, and the world came back into focus. Something in the past that'd repeat in the future. New Mexico it is.

Dark guy had raised his eyebrow at me, thinking I spaced out. Close, but not quite. "Fine. I'll come, but don't expect this often." I let them lead me out to a waiting helicopter, where dark guy, apparently named Mr. Cairow, radioed his team to have them use the various vans and trucks for transportation. We entered the helicopter and it slowly lifted off.

They had brought me to an airport in the helicopter, where we'd catch a plane to New Mexico. Mr. Cairow had made a mysterious phone call, but I stayed with these guys because I trusted my visions. A good friend would be met in New Mexico, maybe one of the two best friends I'd ever had.

On the plane ride, I wrapped myself in a blanket and succumbed to exhaustion. Normally, I don't remember my dreams because they're like mini-premonitions, and I'll have constant déjà vu throughout the day. I'll know something right before it happens, the biggest of a warning I had gotten was 10 minutes. I remembered something from my premonitions and 10 minutes later, it happened. I recently started to know how long of a warning I'd have, so I could react immediately.

I bolted up in my seat on this plane, possibly a private jet, with wide, glazed eyes and a frenzied mind. I looked around and calmed myself, forcing my thoughts into a tight ball and swallowing it. I rose from my seat and walked to Mr. Cairow. "There's a storm ahead. We need to go around it."

"Excuse me?" he said. Don't say it, don't say it… "Young lady," I scowled. "You don't have training in flying planes, do you? No, you don't. So leave this to the professionals." This guy's goin' _down._

"First off, do _not_ call me 'young lady'. I could rip out your spine and beat you with it. Not just the little bones and plates, you're gonna get whacked with _nerves. _Secondly, I've seen what professionals can do, and they _suck. _Finally, I happen to be a genetically altered human with premonitory capabilities, so when I say something bad is going to happen and tell you how to avoid it, you freaking _**listen!**_" If he's smart, he'll lean back a bit and then go to the pilot man to warn him.

Mr. Cairow is not smart. "Premonitory capabilities?" I sighed and smacked my forehead with my palm.

"Yes. It means I'm psychic, I see the future. We have 5 minutes-no, 4 minutes thanks to your stalling, to maneuver around the storm. Now _go!_" His eyes widened behind his sunglasses and he jogged to the front of the plane. About 30 seconds later, we veered to the left. I sat and waited. 3 and a half minutes later, far to the right, angry black clouds were visible through the window.

Mr. Cairow stood by my seat and stared at the possibly deadly storm. I looked to him, smug. "Glad we didn't fly into _that._" He only stared at me and nodded. For the rest of the plane ride I stared out the window.

When we arrived at the airport and I stepped into the New Mexico heat, I realized that I was still cold from being frozen. That couldn't have been good. I was ushered into the back of a black car, no idea what kind, though. Mr. Cairow and a blond Caucasian agent in a suit skirt thing were in the front, the rest of their team had apparently gone back to base, or something.

I still had the blanket, so I threw it onto the seat next to me. I put on the seatbelt and sat back to stare out the window. From the front seat, I heard Mr. Cairow ask "Would you like me to turn on the radio?"

I sighed, and considered it. "Sure." I didn't care, but at least I could pretend I couldn't hear them if they tried to question me. The lyrics of a song floated to me.

"Look at this photograph. Every time I do it makes me laugh. How did her eyes get so red? And what the heck is on Joey's head? And this is where I grew up. I think the present owner fixed it up. I never knew we'd ever went without. The second floor is hard for sneakin' out. And this is where I went to school. Most of the time I had better things to do. School record says I was late twice. I must have done it half a dozen times.

I wonder if it's too late. Should I go back and try to graduate? Much better now than it was back then. If I was them I wouldn't let me in. Every memory of lookin' out the back door, I have the photo album spread out on my bedroom floor. It's hard to say it, time to say it, goodbye, goodbye. Every memory of walkin' out the front door, I found the photo of the friend that I was lookin' for. It's hard to say it, time to say it, goodbye, goodbye. Goodbye."

It went on for a while, but the best part was, "I miss that town, I miss the faces. You can't erase, you can't replace it. I miss it now, I can't believe it. So hard to stay, too hard to leave it. If I could relive those days, I know the one thing that would never change." I want this song on CD, or whatever it was they have these days.

Another song came on, and I practically shot up in my seat. A song I know, thank _God._ ABC, by The Jackson 5. And I know the words, too. I sang along softly to the timeless lyrics. "A buh-buh-buh-buh-buh. A buh-buh-buh-buh-buh. You went to school to learn, girl. Things you never never knew before. Like 'I' before 'e' except after 'c', and why 2+2 makes 4.

Now, now, now, I'm gonna teach you, teach you, teach you, all about love dear, all about love. Sit yourself down, take a seat. All you gotta do is repeat after me…" It went through the whole "ABC, 123, do re mi" thing, and faded out. I was feeling a lot better by the end, and against my will, fell asleep with a minute smile on my face.

* * *

(3rd Person PoV)

Jeb had received a phone call from Mr. Cairow, a government official searching the School. They had found an experiment, a 13-or-14-year-old girl, and were bringing her to the base. The younger members of the flock were excited to meet her, as were Ella and Dr. Martinez. Max, as always, was wary of strangers, anyone not in the flock or one of the Martinez's. Fang, however, didn't know what to think.

He had a feeling in the pit of his stomach. The empty feeling, the gap in him that filled during his dreams, was slowly closing, silently filling in. His eyes were shining more, a spark in them lit brightly, and Max noticed. "Fang, what's going on?" He gave her a look that clearly said "Nothing." "I know it's something, now tell me what it is."

He sighed. "Remember the dreams? The feeling…it's there. Getting stronger. It's probably nothing." He didn't sound like he believed what he was saying, and Max sure didn't.

At that moment, a large man, Mr. Cairow, walked in. He was followed by a female agent and a girl in a white hospital gown and pants.

The garments were torn in many places, as if she had been mauled by an Eraser. Her jaw was tensed as she stared at the ground in front of her. Her long, dirty blond hair, going down to an inch above her tailbone, was pushed back from her forehead. Her head was tilted, displaying a prominent scar from the left side of her head to the middle of her forehead.

"Flock, this is…" Mr. Cairow looked to her, he hadn't learned her name.

She stared down the wall by Max's head. "Katie." Jeb gasped, and her eyes flicked to him for a moment. Then, she did a double take. Jeb Batchelder, the man who had put her back into the tube. He had cost her one year of her life. "You." Her eyes narrowed, her arched eyebrows moving her scar, making her look more threatening.

Max jumped in. "How do you know him?" If Jeb had done an experiment on this girl, Max could renew her grudge and no one could question it.

"He convinced some other Whitecoats to freeze me for 5 years. I'd already been frozen for 3 years, then 6 years later, _he_ put me in again. He's just lucky I was only in for one year instead of 5, or he'd be in _deep crud._" She then realized that she didn't know the flock and waited for an introduction.

"I'm Max. This is the flock. That's Iggy, Gazzy, or The Gasman, Nudge, Angel, and…where'd he go?" Max had pointed to the flock members as she introduced them, but a certain raven boy was nowhere to be found. "My second in command was right here, he's probably invisible…" She felt along the wall, and he came into view as her hand bumped his arm. "This is-"

"Fang…" Katie said, as the flock watched with sparked curiosity. Only Angel knew what was going on, and her eyes were wide. "I believe…we've met before." She stepped towards him, and he cleared his throat. "Hi."

He looked her in the eyes and replied. "Hi." And they knew that standing before each of them was an old friend. She began to smile, when Jeb spoke.

"I remember you…after your first experiment you had been placed in a room with another subject. I had no idea it was-" He was interrupted by Katie.

* * *

(KPoV)

"You know, there's something I've wanted to tell you for a while now." He looked at me expectantly. "Your face sucks. It's a suckish face. That's not a face someone should have." I smirked as he blinked, looking quite taken aback. I turned back to the flock, seeing their confusion. "I can explain stuff later. Long story short, I used to know Squirt here, and I'm not too fond of what's-his-face over there." I gestured to Jeb.

"W-wait." Iggy snickered. I made a "Hm?" sound so he knew I was listening. "D-did you j-just call Fang…Squirt?!" I bit the inside of my cheek a bit, a little habit that came out of nowhere.

"Yeah, what of it?" I snarled a bit, and he burst out laughing.

"J-Jeb said y-you were th-thir-thirteen. He's older than you, and he's...and you're calling him…" he burst out laughing, along with Nudge and Gazzy. Angel gave me a knowing look, while Max shot an amused glance at Fang, who glared at her, then me. I smirked, then walked over to the blind man in hysterics.

"Listen, _kid._ You may be 14, but I, logically, am 17 years old. I was frozen in a cryogenic freezing chamber for 4 years. Thus, I'm technically 13. But you remember I was dumpster diving before you were even _born._ Don't mess with me." I loved this. So, so much. The bad part: Squirt was taller than me!

Iggy calmed down at the ice in my voice, and managed to stand up straight without falling over. His eyes turned to Fang, a pointless gesture, but still. "Is she serious?" He hesitated, then nodded.

"OMG, did you really know her before? Was she really frozen? Did you really let her call you that?!" Nudge was cut short as Gazzy slapped a hand over her mouth.

"Please, Nudge, our ears are bleeding." He begged her. He removed his hand and she smiled sheepishly.

Fang grunted a yes, then looked in the opposite direction. Just then, two people entered the large mess hall looking room. "Uh, Katie, this is my mom, Dr. Martinez, and my half-sister Ella." Max murmured, not fully trusting me despite my dislike of Jeb.

Ella and Dr. Martinez did the name exchange, and then Iggy proclaimed "Guess what? She and Fang used to know each other, and she called him…Squirt!" Ella stared at Iggy, then me, then Fang with wide eyes, then giggled. Dr. M. raised a eyebrow at me, so I explained the frozen, not aging, blah blah blah type stuff. Again. This was gonna be a _long _stay.

* * *

AN: Huh, I just reread it and spell checked, and it's not that bad.

IP: You overreacted...

Me: I know, but still, it's what I do. I keep hitting backspace instead of enter, it's stupid and annoying and gah!

IP: Chapter 4...

Me: Not now, I'll do it tomorrow.

IP: Science, Social Studies, French, Language Arts...

Me: Don't remind me. That's my homework for Monday. One's a project! It'll only be week 4, people, jeez!

IP: Deal with it...

Me: You're not helping. Okay, what now...poke my sister who's sleeping across the room? Oh, I know, the '97-'99 stuff, c'mon guys, I'm typing this at 11:00 the day I updated and I got nothing so far. On a positive note, uh, oh, the new thing I'm trying! Heh, almost forgot there. See, I'm doing books/movies/etc. that need more fics/more _coherent_ fics -coughSBLGcough-. And so, today I'll do 4, one for each previous chapter.

1. Gamer Girl. A book. We need more Chaddie, I tell you, moar Chaddie! It only has one fic, and thank Din it's Chaddie. But I might write something for it at some point.

2. Life As We Knew It. A book. I just read it today and I want a nice, using the canon characters, what happens next fic. And main-character-I-forget-her-name/Dan. I want it, but I'd fail at writing it.

3. Sharkboy and Lavagirl. A movie. I think it might be in the "A" section for "Adventures" but meh. It has some good fanfics, and some I can't even read. My God, the guy that invented the dictionary is rolling over in his grave.

4. Shredderman. A book series. I really like it and just found #4 on my bookshelf. I looked in Books and Movies (Thanks, Nickelodion, you killed Shredderman) and didn't see it. I forget most of everything about it, but I know it's good.

On another note, anyone know where I can find Seventh Tower parts 4, 5, and 6? Apparently, I can't get them at Barnes & Noble, so...yeah. Maybe Amazon for Christmas or something. I don't know. Uh, anything else?

IP: No...?

Me: 'Kay then, this is long enough, so see ya'!

IP: Wait...

Me: Oh yeah, did anyone catch the little hint in there? Copypasta to a review if you want to prove you found it.

R&R? Almost forgot it there. _Now, _there's nothing else. Bye!


	5. 4 Foreboding Drama

AN: Okay, I'm back! Typing this after coming home from school, and I realized that typing the ANs immediately then posting a week later is confusing. I'm frazzled and don't need confusion. I'm going on TV for getting Advanced marks on my CMTs. Standardized testing, meh.

IP: Ugh…

Me: Yeah, but as for the chapter, pairings ahoy!

IP: Don't spoil…

Me: Okay, fine, I'll do the pairing dance at the bottom. But in this chapter, I break the fourth wall beyond recognition and start making a language! I'm gonna put up a Cageese-English Dictionary on my profile, and I'm forgetting something. Oh!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Maximum Ride, the Legend of Zelda, or Kingdom Hearts.

IP: You're obsessed…

Me: Yup. I'm watching the let's play on YouTube, and I want a PS2 for Christmas. I never wanted something that's not Nintendo. But, Sora is awesome and I want the game. Ahwat deh gan. Nah. Look on my profile for translations.

IP:Incoming...

Inner Faxfan: I'M WAITING!

Me: Fine, if it gets you off my back for a while-

IFX: It won't. You'd still have all the others to do.

Me: Fine...but I'm making Iggy jealous, John nervous, and Katie cryptic.

IFX: Deal.

Me: Fluff, ahoy!

* * *

(KPoV)(_KSPoV)_

Jump. Jump. Sword. Jump. Heartless! I mashed on the buttons, and the spiky-haired character on the screen beat the crap out of the little shadow thingy. It had been 3 days since I had been brought to the military place, and I'd been accepted pretty well, by my standards at least. There was a lot of monotonous explaining, I described my powers, how I met Squirt, my burn mark and scar, my past, blah, blah, blah.

Angel and I had had a lot of fun betting what people would do, then being right 80% of the time. Nudge was despondent at my lack of fashion sense apparently rivaling Max's, but was placated when I put her hair into 3 braids and braided those. If she gets angry at someone, she can flick her head and they _will_ get beaned by that thing.

Gaz and Ig were ecstatic when they figured out that I thought explosions were awesome. I was going to take basic pyrotechnics lessons from them soon. Fang was apparently acting odd, because he kept getting weird looks when he goofed around with me. I joked about things that'd happened way back when, like someone had mentioned a parrot.

The Whitecoats had wanted us to fight a 25% parrot, 75% human experiment, but we'd ended up talking and being friends. The Whitecoats had been pissed off, to say the least, the looks on their faces were hilarious. But when Kid chuckled under his breath, Gazzy looked at him like "Since when does _that_ happen?"

As for Max, she retained her paranoia of me, but her will was slowly breaking. Fang was being more open around everyone for the time being, though I knew it'd wear off eventually, and everyone but Jeb and the government seemed to like me. Though, it didn't help my case that I spent so much time with Fang, slowly lapsing back into Cageese in his presence.

But, for that moment in time, I was playing Kingdom Hearts. It was good so far, but not as good as some others I'd played. I'd stayed up into the early morning to play The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass after spending the day before playing LoZ: Wind Waker. I was addicted to video games and enjoyed every minute of it.

C'mon, jump Sora, jump, jump, jump-

_So the author is too lazy to put in more detail, huh?_

**(AN: Yes, yes I am.)**

_You're off topic, rambling, and this makes me seem like a Mary-Sue._

**(AN: Get back to the story and leave me alooooone!)**

I felt a slight tingling in the back of my mind, different from Angel or a vision. Maybe I should have her see what's-

**(AN: You will forget!)**

C'mon, jump Sora, jump, jump, jump jump, **juuuuuuuuump! **From her place behind me, I heard Angel giggle. So my thoughts amuse you, little girl? _Yes, yes they do._ I kept playing my game, until I sensed Fang enter the room, my bedroom to be exact. I didn't look at him, just had Sora turn to him on the screen and start slashing his sword.

"Kemhe." He said, which translated to "Come on."

"Nih. Planih." I replied. "No. Playing."

"Stet deh gan. Kemhe, nah." His eyes were narrowed; he was serious when he said "Stop the game. Come on, now." I sighed and pressed start on the controller, then stood to find that he had already walked the 2 steps to the door and was going into the hallway. I followed until he said, "They brought someone to give you glasses." My eyebrow raised, but I followed him through a doorway to see a government optometrist. Oh, joyous, happiness of contentment.

* * *

"Which is better, this one, or this one?"

"Well, I think this one is better than this one, don't you think this one is better than this one, I mean it's obvious this one's better than this one." I sighed and rolled my eyes. "The first one's bolder and smaller, the second one's closer and sharper, but they're both still blurry."

"Don't worry, I think I know the prescription you need." Dr. Walmer, a man with brown hair, green eyes, 5 feet in height, and a degree in glasses making told me after the usual monotonous eye chart with random letters on it. While he was typing stuff, like results and crap, into his computer, someone had been making my glasses in another room.

As for the frames, the only ones they had were a choice between pink with sparkles and a large rim, or metal in 2 shades of blue with thin wire that went halfway around the lenses. They were square and were held in place by an almost transparent string. Guess which ones I chose. Yep, the awesome blue ones. "So, how bad are my eyes?" Fang looked at Dr. Walmer from his place by the door, he wanted to know too.

"I'd have to say you have about 20/50, maybe 20/60 vision. What the average person sees from 50 or 60 feet, you would need to be at 20 feet to see clearly." Was his reply. Stupid messed up eyes.

Squirt and I walked out of the small clinic room, with me only mildly scarred because they shot air into my eyes. I went to the room next to that where my nifty new specs were a'craftin'. Don't hate me 'cause I'm from the '90s.

The guy working there made a few final adjustments to the lenses, then let me try them on. After almost poking myself in the eye with the part that goes around the ear, I managed to put them on right. Suddenly, everything was in focus, I could see the cobweb in the corner, tell apart the individual strands of hair on Squirt's head, I could freaking see!

Kid raised his eyebrow a centimeter, and I broke out in a small grin. I finally knew what I was missing. Out in the hallway, a small potted flower that had looked pink was now a vibrant red. I gave Fang a mischievous look as he stepped into the corridor, an evil grin on my face. Then, I ran through the halls laughing with Squirt walking calmly behind me, shaking his head and chuckling at my antics.

As I raced into the mess hall, Gazzy looked over and greeted me, then did a double take. He squinted, trying to figure out what was different. Finally, his eyes widened with recognition. "You got glasses?" he asked, incredulous.

"A-yup. I gots me some nifty new specs…what, I can speak like a '90s kid if I want, I am one." That got me some weird looks, but I really didn't care. I rolled my eyes and headed back to my bedroom. After all, my game was paused, and Sora was waiting.

* * *

(3rd Person PoV)(KPoV)

As of late, Katie had been noticing Max's growing unease around her. So she took matters into her own hands.

She knocked on Jeb's bedroom door, and the typical "Come in." was heard from the other side. She entered, and he looked shocked to see her, though he retained his composure.

"I was wondering if you had a tie I could borrow. So, do you?" she asked civilly, mildly surprising him. He nodded, and beckoned her over to his closet. He pointed to an area of the bar the coat hangers hung from, and she took a black tie with red and blue seashells on it, a plain red tie, and a black and white striped tie.

"Thanks, Jeb." She made to leave the room, then turned in the doorway. "And yes, that _does_ mean you've gained a _little_ respect." She smirked, and closed the door behind her.

* * *

Katie's hand was over Fang's eyes as she led him through the hallways. He was pushed through the doorway of the mess hall on the left if you were just entering the building. Max, wearing a blindfold, was led in on the right by Angel.

Angel was wearing a white T-shirt, Katie had on a black Zelda T-shirt inside-out. All people in the room were wearing jeans, though Fang's were black, as was his T-shirt. Max was wearing a light blue T-shirt and her brown hair had been styled by Katie. 2 strands near the front were put into tiny braids which were pinned to the back of her head so they looked like a tiny tiara.

Katie and Angel walked Max and Fang to the lower right corner of the room where a table with a white tablecloth was waiting. They sat them down in the two chairs there. "No peeking." Katie said as she removed her hand and Angel removed the blindfold. Katie messily tied the blue, red, and black tie around her neck, as Angel did the same with the black and white one.

"Okay, you can open your eyes now." Katie said, and Max and Fang were surprised to see where they were. They were across from each other, the only light in the room from the moon and stars through the windows and the lone candle on the table.

"Hello, I'm Katie, and this is Angel, and we'll be your waitresses this evening." They bowed and Katie smirked. "For your dining pleasure, Nudge and Gazzy will be keeping others out of the room. A server will be here soon with some bread and menus. Thank you, and enjoy your evening." As the two walked away, they vaguely heard Max ask Fang if he had anything to do with it. They snickered as they entered the kitchen.

Ella was waiting, wearing the plain red tie over a white blouse. "Servant?" she raised her eyebrow accusingly as Angel left the room to help Nudge guard the two entrances inside the building. Gazzy was stationed outside in case anyone tried to enter that way.

"It's better than kitchen lackey. I'd say about 2 minutes before you should go out there." Katie smirked, then sighed. This was going to be awesome. The only one not completely enthusiastic was Iggy.

"This is slave labor. It's unfair. It's illegal. Something." He was mumbling from where he stood by the stove, waiting for Max and Fang's orders.

"I don't care _how_ sick your eagle is, you're _going_ to cook nice food for them, anything they want." Katie glared at him, though the gesture was useless. Ella took the menus, two typed out lists of food Iggy wouldn't mind making, and a basket of bread that had recently come out of the oven out to Max and Fang. Katie scowled at the floor.

She was very observant, so she had noticed that Iggy really liked Ella. The bad thing was that he was oblivious to that little fact. The worse thing was that he seemed very aware of his little crush on Max. The even worse, ground-breakingly horrible thing was that he also seemed aware of a newly developing crush on Katie. She could talk about feelings, deal with her own quietly inside her head, help someone else with theirs, but let someone down? No.

Ella's head poked in through the kitchen door. "They're deciding. They're talking. They're obviously happy. I think this is going well. I'll go take Angel's place." She smiled. Katie gave a small grin and nodded. There'd be time to ponder and pry later. Now was Max and Fang's time.

Angel entered the kitchen, and the two of them waited for 5 more minutes before heading out. Ella was right, they were obviously happy, Fang was almost sorta-kinda smiling. At first, Katie almost didn't notice his impassiveness being at a higher level than when she was 7, but recently he had been a bit more open than she gathered he had been before. Still, around Max, he was the least guarded.

"Have you decided on your orders, or do you need more time?" Katie asked when she was at the table.

"Um, we'll have a sprite, a root beer, 2 chocolate milkshakes, the fried chicken, the grilled fish, and the spaghetti for two." Katie wrote down the orders as Max spoke.

"The drinks will be out in a few minutes, and the food will be here as soon as possible. And please, if there's anything not on the menu that you would like, feel free to tell us and we'll be happy to give Iggy Indian burns until he makes it for you." Katie smirked.

She and Angel began to walk to the kitchen when Nudge jogged in. Katie gave Angel the order and told her to have Iggy make the food and Ella deliver the drinks. Nudge was slightly frantic. "Okay, um, we have a little problem. So, uh-"

"Nudge, calm down and tell me." Katie wanted this to go perfectly. She had to _know_ the problem to _fix_ the problem.

"Well, Total and Akila want to go out to look at the stars, and Dr. Martinez wants to talk to you, Max, Fang, Iggy, or Ella, like right now." Katie, using her current executive power as head waitress, deemed this not good.

"Okay, bring me to them." Nudge latched onto her arm and practically dragged her to the doorway. There stood Total, Akila, and Dr. Martinez. "Ah, what seems to be the problem here?"

"My lady friend and I wish to gaze upon the stars, and we come here only to be told we cannot enter? I will not stand for this discrimination against Canine-Americans! I will not stand for it!" Total nearly shouted.

Katie's eyes widened. "Total, Total, please be civil!" she whisper-shouted. "I can assure you, this is not any form of discrimination, but this space is currently being used as a restaurant. It's completely booked for a private party, and I am sure that they do not wish to be disturbed. Now, if you will follow our security personnel to an alternate exit, I would very much appreciate it."

Total seemed to consider this. "Alright, that seems like an acceptable offer. I thank you for your respect, though I am curious as to who may have booked the entire mess hall."

"I'm afraid that's confidential though I can tell you that they are having a wonderful time. Now, if you will please follow Nudge, an alternate exit can be found for you." Total nodded and beckoned Akila to follow Nudge along with him. Katie turned to Dr. Martinez. "Nudge said you needed to talk to someone?"

"Yes, actually. Jeb and I have a proposition for you and the flock. We were wondering if you would mind giving school a chance, seeing as there haven't been many attacks lately. Though I would prefer discussing it with Max first."

"Uh, Dr. M., one thing I do know is that school wouldn't work out too well for me. And I doubt Squirt and Max are gonna want to attend. And really, I am just getting major 'This will not end well' vibes. That, coming from me, means that my powers are warning me not to do something or there _will_ be consequences. You can ask the others later, but it's a definite no for me. So if you don't mind going…"

Dr. M. didn't seem surprised. "Alright, I can take a hint. But just for reference, is it Max and Fang in there?"

"Yeah, yeah it is. And I don't mean any offense, but I don't think they want you ruining their date that we planned for them, so…" Katie and Dr. M. smiled, and the woman left for her bedroom. Katie closed her eyes and took a deep breath to compose herself, then headed back to the kitchen.

Angel had just brought out the fried chicken and grilled fish, and was preparing to bring out the milkshakes when Katie entered. "Holy crap…" she muttered. Angel smirked.

"Don't worry, they didn't notice. They're totally going to kill you for setting them up on a date, but they're having a great time right now. Here, help me bring out the milkshakes." They each took one large glass and exited the kitchen. They walked to the table where Max and Fang were eating and talking and being all romantic-ey.

They placed the milkshakes next to the plates and Katie apologized for her absence. "Is there anything I can get you?"

Fang touched the tip of his knuckle to the empty plate in front of him, and Katie nodded. She and Angel took the finished plates and glasses. "Your next course and the dessert menus will be out soon."

Katie and Angel entered the kitchen and placed the dirty dishes in the sink. Angel noticed Iggy sulking by the stove and told Katie to bring out the spaghetti. With a wary glance, Katie took the large platter and hefted it onto her shoulder like a professional waitress.

"Your menus will be out shortly." She told Max and Fang, then went to check on Ella. When she got to the doorway, she found Ella chatting with a man.

"Oh, Katie, this is John Abate a friend of mom's and member of the CSM. John, this is Katie. She can explain." Ella then went to bring the dessert menus to the table.

"Hello there. I _was _trying to find Max, but Ella wouldn't let me in. Would you happen to know anything about that?" he raised his eyebrow playfully.

Katie decided she liked this guy. "Why yes. It just so happens that I've turned the mess hall into a dining area for tonight. Max is currently on a surprise date with Fang, and Ella was doing her job as security personnel by keeping their dinner private and uninterrupted."

"A few questions before I go. Fang set up a date for the two of them? Where can I find Valencia? And how do you know the flock?" John inquired.

"Well, I set up the date with Angel and Ella, Fang didn't know about it. I think Dr. M. is in her bedroom, is there a specific reason you want to find her? And I'm an experiment. I used to know Fang, but I've already explained this a few times and I'm not gonna do it again, so you can ask Dr. M. when you find her. Anything else? 'Cause I got to go take dessert orders for an old friend and his girlfriend."

John smiled. "No, nothing else. And there just might be a specific reason to find Valencia, but I doubt I'll tell you-"

John blinked as Katie's eyes dilated, the pupils becoming as large as the irises. As quickly as it'd happened, her focus returned and she smiled. "You-oooo liiiike heeeerrrr." She sang, and John turned a bit red and stuttered, wondering how she knew.

"Oh, well, the Whitecoats messed with my brain so I can see the future, and I just saw you asking her out. By the way, I approve. And I'm sure Max and Ella do, too." She watched as John cleared his throat and awkwardly turned to go. She wondered what was with all this complete inability to admit to feelings that was going around. She would at least try to help. She _had_ noticed Nudge and Gazzy doing the old look-then-look-away-when-the-other-person-looks-back routine.

Katie reentered the kitchen to see that Iggy had grudgingly filled Max and Fang's ice cream orders. He needed an attitude adjustment. "Look, I want you to suck it up and stop complaining, Blind Boy. I _was_ planning on sharing the blackmail material with you, but you're being a pain in the present."

He had perked up when she got to blackmail. "Blackmail? There's blackmail involved? And what do you mean 'pain in the present'?" Katie sighed.

"Well, eventually they're gonna kiss or something, and I'll get it on tape and make you a copy. And you're a pain to everyone, but I'm a psychic, so I have to make sure you know that you're being a pain now, not later. So, a little cooperation, please?"

Iggy's face morphed into a smile, the kind that made his crush obvious. "Okay. I'll help, but don't expect it _too_ too much." Katie grimaced slightly at his shameless attempt at flirting. This would be a problem. She shook her head and picked up the ice cream.

As she arrived at the table she placed the sundae with hot fudge and nuts in front of Max and the bowl of chocolate drowning in chocolate sauce with chocolate sprinkles and chocolate chips in front of Fang. Both she and Max raised their eyebrows as they shared a look, clearly wondering what in the name of God compelled this overdose of cocoa.

Upon noticing the two girls' odd looks, Fang muttered an indignant "What?"

Katie smirked, and Max asked, "You really like chocolate, don't you?"

"Heh heh. That might be my fault. When I met him, I told him about stuff he didn't know about, like food. I said chocolate was pretty much food from heaven, and when you're a small starving bird-kid, your mind probably retains that opinion and makes it your own." That speech earned Katie odd looks. "Well, you know what I'm saying. Enjoy your desserts."

She started walking to the kitchen, but paused. She turned, and neither Max nor Fang were paying attention to her. She was far enough away that they didn't hear her remove the video camera from her pocket. She had saved it from Gaz and Ig's pile of bomb material, and had found a better purpose. She turned it on and silently inched towards the dining couple in the way only a street kid or Fang could.

She began to film just as Fang started to speak. Katie smiled, he was saying everything she knew he would. Max and Fang were in looooooooove. She had a slight flashback to her vision of Max on Valium. But when she said it this time, she knew she meant it. Fang leaned over the table and-private moment! Katie grimaced, this was not something she should be seeing.

She turned off the camera and backed away. After all, they deserved some privacy before whatever was causing the foreboding twinge in Katie's gut reared its ugly head.

* * *

AN: Happy now?

IFX: Yes. Yes I am.

IP: Foreshadowing the unknown plot...

Me: Hey! I have a small, almost nonexistent outline-ish type thing...yeah, maybe this was a bad ide-oh! I got it!

IP: Cliché made original...

Me: Sort of, but I'll iron it out later. Woah, I typed stuff then hit the x so I have to retype it! Crud!

IP: Reviews...

Me: Funny, they're both from "something creative" who has reviewed every chapter and is awesome. C'mon guys, I _know_ you can do better than that! Oh, sorry, I'm being pushy. Heh. -awkward-

IP: The thing...

Me: Well, I ran out of unloved fandoms, so I'll do fics that need to update soon, 'cause I'm waiting impatiently.

Another Form of the Avian Bird Flu by Saint Fang of Boredom.

Speaking of authors, if anyone wants to be mentioned in the story, tell me and I'll put you in a Fang's Blog comment! I'd like Saint or, or, Bell, or, someone to want to be in the story, but I'm not gonna use them without their permission.

IP: Poll...

Me: Oh, I have a new poll on my profile, check it out!

IP: The Fang's Blog...

Me: Yeah, it's hilarious. I had fun writing the insane FANGirl parts. Oh,

R&R? Heh, I _seriously_ need some happy. School is...killing me. Killing me!

IP: Over dramatic...

Me: Well then! Uh, bye!


	6. 5 Invading Fang's Privacy

AN: Hi guys! I'm relatively happy, it's the weekend, but I've got stuff following me around, kinda' hanging over my head, you know?

IP: You sound like me...

Me: o.0 You're right, Payne. By the way, guys, I'm naming her Payne. Just for the sake of annoying her.

IP: Magician...

Me: Oh, right! I watched Mind Freak, you know, with Criss Angel, and at the end he did this "Do as I say" thing, and because I'm stupid and weird I did, and I managed to screw it up, but I swear to Farore (LoZ goddess, keep up people) I was gonna' levitate myself! And I tried moving stuff with my mind and I think I made something fidget!

IP: Did not...

Me: You don't know that! Oh, and...

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Maximum Ride, and I really don't own Fang's blog.

Hey, can anyone find the minor character and the, umm, I think it's either Saint or Bell reference. You might think it's a typo, but it's not. Tell me if you find it!

IP: Reviews...?

Me: Ah, yes! I got 1 before and 2 today, and it inspired me to write chapter 6, I think? This is 6 in Microsoft Word, but that's 'cause the prologue is 1. So, 7 in Word minus 1 is 6. Yeah, it should be 6 up next. And the reviewers are "Madeline Cullen" who I think writes Dark Blue, one of the fics in my bookmarks bar up in the corner. So, yay! And 2 from "I HEART MAXIMUM RIDE" who has reviewed every chapter so far. Don't worry, I get the homework thing, I should start my Science report due in 4 days, but I'm here instead! **:)** My parents are gonna' kill me.

IP: Uh, chapter...

Me: Oh yeah, this is a story, right! Uh, stuff at bottom! How to start the chapter...

IP: -shrugs-

Me: Uh, oh! Yeah! Gotta' go fast! Gotta' go faster, faster, faster faster chapter! Go, go go, go go, go, go, go!

**

* * *

You are reading Fang's Blog. Welcome!**

**Today's date: **February something.

**You are visitor number: **Too high for the counter thing.

**Back to the Future**

Well, guys, a lot's happened since I last blogged, most of it's been good. The bad part was Max's mom being kidnapped by Mr. Chu. Everything else that went wrong kind of fades into the background. The best thing that happened was that I finally got together with Max. I'll pause while you reread that. I know what you're thinking, either "…Wait, what?!" or you agree with the rest of the flock and are thinking "FINALLY!" Well, what's happened so far is private, so don't bother asking.

The second best thing was that we got back Max's mom without _too_ many injuries. And we're certified by the US Navy to survive in the wild. Like we haven't already done that.

The third best thing is that I met up with an old friend. She's an experiment, just not avian. She actually used to be normal, but she was captured when she was 7. That's when we met, she was 7 and I was 4-ish. Now, I'm about 14, and she's 13. Long story short, she was frozen a few times. I'm sorry to say that I forgot about her for most of my life, but at least she's back now.

Not much else has happened lately, but I'll keep you posted.

-Fang

**

* * *

Post a Comment on Fang's Blog**

**Back to the Future**

1,024 comments

**Numbah 1 Faxfan said…**

U got 2gether! FINALLY! I've been waiting for this moment. My little bro owes me 5 bucks! An old friend? Who's a girl? YOU BETTER NOT MESS UP WITH MAX, MISTER! 'Cause I know lots of people who'll come after you.

3:46 PM

**IK****3FangRide said…**

No! You don't belong with _her!_ I'M THE ONE THAT LOVES YOU FANGY! I'M IN MICHIGAN COME FIND ME WE CAN BE TOGETHER 4EVER!!1!!!!1!!1

Michigan

3:46 PM

**Liss in the 'Gin said…**

Oh, please. You can whine and mope all you want, he's not gonna come to you when he has Max. It's obvious he loves her, and I've learned not to keep them apart the hard way. Fang, keep going strong and stay with Max no matter what the insane fangirls say. You deserve each other.

Virginia

3:47 PM

**Katie the Pure One said…**

Nice goin' Liss. I was about to say sort of the same thing, but actually say it rather than type it. I've got to do something about these insane fans, before a flame war starts. It hasn't been a half hour since he posted and people are going crazy. Maybe he'll tell me the password…

Fang's laptop (his preeecccciiooouussss)

3:48 PM

**

* * *

You are reading Fang's Blog. Welcome!**

**Today's date: **One with Gazzy and Nudge. Oooooohhhhhh!

**You are visitor number:** Infinity!

**Stuff Squirt Won't Tell You**

Hey, people! While I'm trying to catch up with society, I find out my good friend Fang has a blog. So naturally, I pester him until he gives me the laptop and password. Katie here, the friend Squirt mentioned before. I'm coming to you live and in pixels from Fang's laptop while he is across the room trying to figure out what I mean by Nudge and Gazzy on a date (You backseat typer you). A few things he'd rather you didn't know are going to be posted by me. Like the fact that last night I saw/videotaped him and Max eating each other's faces (don't tell Dr. M.!!!!!!). The video link is here.

Another thing he won't tell you is that, because I used to be older than him, I called him Squirt and Kid, and fully intend on continuing to do so. Even though he's older and taller, I'm still smarter and more awesome.

Some things he won't tell because he doesn't even know them. Things like Nudge and Gazzy looking then looking away when they get caught looking. Or Iggy and Ella being very obvious about liking each other to everyone but Iggy. Oh, and Iggy's crush on me (excuse me while I have nightmares for the rest of my life). Or, you know, Iggy's little crush on Max (PREPARE TO DIE, BLIND BOY!!!). But other than that, there's nothing to tell that hasn't been said.

Unless you don't plan on watching the video, in which case, I'll type it out for you. In script format.

Fang: Max, I love you.

Max: I love you, too.

Both: -smash together-

Me: -videotapes- -snickers-

I'm going to stop now, before Fang can justify murdering me in my sleep. See ya'!

Look to the future,

-Katie

**

* * *

Post a Comment on Fang's Blog**

**Stuff Squirt Won't Tell You**

2,569 comments

**Liss in the 'Gin said…**

Woah, that video…My God…Must. Watch. Again. Iggy has a crush on Max? What?! Katie, I haven't known you for long, but can already tell that you are awesome. Keep us updated!

Virginia

4:49 PM

**IK3FangRide said…**

NOOOOOOOOO!!!!1! Max, you stay away from him! He's mine, I tell you! **MINE!!!!1!!**

Michigan

4:50 PM

**Numbah 1 Faxfan said…**

"IK3FangRide" you need to lay off. He's not yours, if anything, he's Max's. But mostly he's his own person. Katie, you are awesomne, and I'm gonna tell all my friends about your blog. But if I were you, I'd find a good hiding place. They're gonna _kill_ you. And Iggy. Yeah...he's gonna die.

4:50 PM

**IK3FangRide said…**

Ugh! U cant tell me wut 2 do! He loves me and he'll know it soon enough! Go to –rant censored by Katie. Let's not have this again, people- He loves me I tell u, HE LOVES ME!!!!1!!!

Michigan

4:51 PM

**Katie the Pure One said…**

I'd better hide, he wants the laptop back and he's getting loads of emails. This…should be interesting.

Fang's laptop

4:52 PM

* * *

AN: Hooray for my lame Sonic X reference at the top!

IP: No comment...

Me: Meh. Uh, the K3 is supposed to be a heart, because FF doesn't want the "less than" sign in its little typing box of horrors!

IP: Horrors...?

Me: Yes, horrors! Ugh, this chapter is short, stupid condensing blog type stuff! -sigh- Well, I have up a new poll! Guys, can you vote on it? Pleeeeaaaaasseee?

IP: Begging...?

Me: Yes, begging. Heh. Uhh...

R&R? I got sad when I checked last update right after school, and there was nothing. I now know why people like reviews. They're...nice, I guess.

IP: Way to motivate...

Me: Who asked you?! Ugh, I still need 97-99 events for Katie to rant about. I'm forgetting something, I know I am...oh! Please guys, I _need_ volunteers for the next chapters blog comments! Heck, leave a fake name and insane comment in a review, I'm running out of creativity! Stupid science report, hanging over my head! Gah!

IP: Save yourselves...

Me: -begins ranting-

**

* * *

Note: **I am serious about this stuff. I need watch for Mary-Sues, grammar errors, volunteers (remember, you can be a fangirl, faxfan, or just plain commenter, but please specify which!), events, songs, votes on polls...really, I'm not much without outside input, and this is my first story. I can't go to friends or parents because they haven't read the books and will look at me like I'm insane. I am, but that's not the point. Thanks. This has been your daily Public Service Announcement. And now, back to your regularly scheduled programs.


	7. 6 Painful Meetings

AN: ARRGGH! JP whyyy!? Guys, there's an updated summary thing for Maximum Ride, and I'm trying really hard not to hate Dylan before I meet him, but-

IFX: DIE DYLAN DIE!!!!!!!!!!!1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11!!11!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1!!!!!!!!11!!!!!!!!!!!!!1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1!!!

Me: -That keeps happening. With this story, I know where to go, but not how to get there. I'm hitting writer's block, and I could use some inspiration. Vote on the poll, or review, or...go see my Deviant Art account when I finally get to create it on Friday!!! Yes, I finally get to show you my drawings, some of Katie, some of Fax, some just pointless memes. I think I'll start off with some Brigid and Dylan hate pictures. Hey, we can pair them with each other! It's perfect! For those who are as clueless as I was yesterday, part of the summary thing is "Now, a battle of science against soul, perfection versus passion unfolds, twists, and turns..." I got that from FlockUpdates' YouTube video. Arrrrgggggghhh, Patterson why!? This'll haunt me 'till March, I tell ya'.

IP: I fear for us all...

Me: WOAH. When your own negativity and rationality is about to cry, you know it's bad. I can't even be bothered to spell check, but last chapter I made an error. I said "awesomne" when I meant "awesomene" it's the Saint/Bell quote, so, my bad! School's not helping my "AAAaaAAaAAAARRRGGGHHH!" so, I'm frazzled. Uh, I'm s'possed to do stuff...

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any copyrights, but I do proclaim myself founding member of the "Down With Dylan Movement".

Uh, moving along, reviewers are (of course!) "I HEART MAXIMUM RIDE" (I try to recognize everyone! And IFX is pissed that you dare my/our/her Faxness integrity.) and "Madeline Cullen", both of whom are awesome and win at life. I have a Final Warning based poll, vote please?

IP: Begging...?

Me: Yes, because I want to move fast and get to DA to see if anyone else has begun Dylan-hating. If they use spears, they're totally ripping me off somehow. If there's none, I'll go insane by Thursday. Or I'll overdo it on Man in the Mirror by Michael Jackson and Battlefield by Jordan Sparks and Bleeding Love and and and stuff! Yeah...too frazzled to type. I've always been MR-telepathic, knowing what they look like before there's any description, thinking "They're gonna' get together!" when Fang first appeared in the book, maybe that's what's causing my writer's block. Maybe I sense a disturbance in the Fax.

IP: Moving on...

Me: Ch-ch-ch-chapter time!

* * *

(3rd Person PoV)

Katie hid, crouching behind a potted plant with long drape like leaves. The bags under her mischievous eyes were prominent, as she had been staying up into the morning to reacquaint herself with the world of today. Or play video games. Whichever came first. Down the hallway in the mess hall Fang was pouring over his emails, and cursed Katie in his mind. He couldn't believe, actually, he _could_ believe Katie had videotaped what he said, but he hadn't _expected_ her to.

Gazzy lumbered by Katie's plant unaware, most likely with Nudge consuming his thoughts. That is, until she reached out and grabbed hold of his arm. "Gazzy. I need a place to hide." She whispered, she was surely doomed when Fang found her.

Gazzy was startled by her, yet still told her "Um, what about the roof?" Katie smiled, Gazzy was a genius. She muttered a quick thanks, and began jogging to the only stairwell she had seen. For some reason, though, some sick, twisted god had decided that she would be the source of his amusement today. Or her amusement, it didn't matter then because Dr. Martinez stopped her in the hallway.

"You know, for some time I had been reading Fangs blog. After a while I stopped, but I decided to see how it was going. So today I use my laptop to check, and I see a video of my daughter and her best friend professing their love for each other, completely unaware they're being filmed. Do you know anything about that?" Dr. M. raised an eyebrow as Katie fidgeted.

"Well…only if you know anything about the late night visit of a Mr. John Abate, hmm Dr. Martinez? Anything to say about that?" Katie rocked forwards onto her toes and raised her height for a second or two, she would rather not take time with Dr. M and get caught by a very angry Fang.

Dr. Martinez blushed slightly, and smiled. "Now Katie, no reason to resort to logic twisting. I was actually hoping to thank you, they were never going to admit it on their own." She walked past Katie, presumably going to the mess hall to speak with someone or other. Katie didn't bother to ask as she raced for the stairwell, Fang would be after her soon.

She climbed around the stairs, turning a full 540 degrees, and burst through the door. As she doubled over, wheezing heavily, she looked around. Then, her eyes widened, a slight shine coming from their glazed appearance. The psychic staggered to the edge of the roof, then collapsed in tears.

* * *

Fang scowled as he read over the comments and emails he had gotten in about 5 minutes. There were 3 thousand and rising. Most were things like:

**Flying Without Wings said…**

OMC! This is soooo cool! Katie, they're perfect for each other. –forwards video to all her friends-

4:55

Or:

**MaxRideFan said…**

So…Max ain't single no more? !*&#. Well, at least I lost to the best.

Ohio

4:56

Or even:

**FANGirlWithoutLeave said…**

Nononononooooo! Ugh. I want to be Max right now. Jealousness. I'd kill for that.

England

4:56

Fang put the laptop's lid down and went to find Max. After some searching he found her in her bedroom hanging upside down on the end of her bed, staring at the ceiling. "Hey." He sat on her bed by her feet. "We should find Katie." Max's neck craned and her head came into view as she raised her eyebrows in question. "She videotaped…last night, and put it on the blog." He muttered, causing her eyes to widen. It had been a private moment, and besides, it made her seem soft. Less like The Invincible Max.

She sat upright. "Let's go." They jogged out of Max's room and, after questioning Gazzy, climbed the stairs to the roof. They were about to swing open the door when they heard a soft sobbing. Fang's eyes widened a fraction of an inch, and he eased open the door to see Katie in the fetal position, sobbing into her knees.

He and Max raced over to her, and dropped to their knees beside her. She looked up at them, her eyes rimmed with red, and frantically rubbed at her moistened cheeks with the back of her forearm. Her visions had gotten the best of her, she had let them take over, and Fang could see it in her eyes. He ran his hand along her spine. "What's wrong?" The undertone of concern in his voice could only have been heard by Max and Katie, and made the watery eyed psychic ache with guilt.

She paused every few seconds in an attempt to catch her breath. "The reason…I set you up…on the date…was to stop a vision…of Max flying away…from happening. I saw…it happen…right here. I didn't…want you…to get hurt. You looked…so sad." She longed to bury her face into her best friend's shoulder, but she couldn't. He was in an alley, in New York.

* * *

Katie stumbled down the hallway, somehow grasping the wall for support. She knew that once she entered the mess hall she would make them think it was just pain in her mind. It was much more than that. Truth be told, she was surprised she had managed to stagger as far as she did.

Her entire body ached, every muscle she had throbbed with the beating of her heart. Each breath of air into her lungs was a knife thrust into her chest. She had tossed and turned in her sleep, her bangs hung loose from her braid, her eyes unfocused and pupils dilated to half their size. She hadn't bothered with her glasses, and she was still in her pajamas. She wouldn't let the flock, especially Angel, who already had to deal with everyone else's problems, know what had happened.

Though she knew that Fang, and consequently, Max, would know what was on her mind. Or, rather, _in_ her mind. She could hear the voices, though they were whispers, and her vision threatened to give out. This had happened 3 times before, twice when she was 7 and had Fang's company, and once when she was 12 and alone. Her dreams, premonitions, hadn't gone away when she woke up. No, they plagued her still, even as she blocked her mind from a certain 7-year-old mind reader.

She hesitantly took her hand from the wall, though her knees buckled a bit, and stood as straight as she could after just waking up. Her oversized maroon shirt with the Dr. Pepper logo hung down over her blue chibi-Eeyore shorts that hung to an inch above her knees, both wrinkled and baggy.

She walked into the mess hall, immediately catching the flock's attention. She wasn't a morning person and often shrugged or grunted in place of actual communication, but she was prepared for the day anyways. Now, however, she was disheveled and pale, clammy and just a mess overall. Fang raised his eyebrow at her as she sat next to him on the end of the bench, asking the question they both knew the answer to.

Her head hit the table with a thud, and her arms sprawled around it. "Head hurts." She groaned, though they both knew that she was much worse off than that. He began to rub small circles on the base of her skull with his thumb, as Max raised her eyebrow curiously. She knew this was more than it seemed, more than Katie was letting on.

The rest of the flock went back to their conversations, and Katie raised her head and rubbed her eyes. She looked out the glass door to see something that was red at the top and skinny. "Ew. What's outside the door?" She muttered.

"That's Brigid, she-" Fang was cut off as Katie scowled.

"Gross. Don't care. See ya'." She stood and walked to her room to change.

* * *

(KPoV)

Ugh, that hair is too bright for morning. I did _not_ want to meet her, but I knew I had to. Oh, joyous, happiness of contentment. After I had cleaned up a bit (hair down and brushed a little, clothes changed, body slightly less tortured) I put on my glasses and now-favorite Zelda necklace and went to meet Dr. Amazing. I was hoping I could hold out my necklace with the Triforce on it and yell "**Satan be gone from this chamber! The power of Fax compels you!" **I doubted it would work though.

"Oh, here she is now. Katie, come meet Brigid!" Nudge shouted once I got to the mess hall door. And there went any hope of having a good day. I walked over and stood about two steps away from the redhead, wondering what she was on and if it was airborne.

She stuck out her hand. "Hello, I'm Dr. Dwyer, but you can call me Brigid." She smiled as if we were going to be "lyke, total BFFs and stuff. lyke." I frowned at her outstretched hand.

I raised my eyebrow as if to say, "And what, exactly, do you expect me to do with that?" I made my distrust and dislike obvious in my voice. "'Kay." Her hand dropped to her side dejectedly, and she frowned. Squirt subtly elbowed me in the ribs and the aching returned for a moment. I sighed. "I'm Katie. I'd say it's nice to meet you, but I hate unnecessary lying." My friendly smile must have thrown her off, because she seemed surprised I didn't like her.

Must have been popular in high school.

"Don't worry Katie, we can trust her. She's nice, and she's from the CSM." Nudge must have really wanted me to not fight with Brigid. That was just too freaking bad, then.

"I never said we couldn't, and I never said she's not. I just don't like her is all. Let's call it a personality clash. Or, you know, a blast from the past. Or something. Don't like her, don't care. I'm hungry." I escaped to the kitchen and slid down the wall next to the door, exhaling heavily. Kid came in and knelt beside me.

"You still hurt?" he asked, I couldn't believe he didn't get it. I sat up, incredulous.

Both my eyebrows rose, a rare occasion. "You really don't get it, do you? Ugh. She likes you. You know, likes you likes you? She _liiikes_ you. I can tell. And it's not good. Um, breathe, Kid. Move? Blink? No? Well, okay then. I'll be in my room playing Kingdom Hearts if you need me. Try not to need me." I turned once I had reached the door. "Oh, and Max is gonna' kill me if you suffocate yourself. That got ya' breathin'. In, out, in, out." I opened the door and left.

* * *

AN: Ugh, no Spell Checking_,_ no real plot development, you know, I wanted to start the plot, but I wanted to put _something_up. Uh, one **crucial **question: Should I give Max and Fang a little..._**surprise**_? I thought about it, and I'm leaning towards no, but only 'cause I think it'll turn cliché. And I don't want that, so, yeah, and, stuff. Brain hurt. Uh, last chapter, I forgot the fic that needs to update because I am impatient.

Dark Blue by Madeline Cullen because I can't get enough! Must. Know. What. Happens. Argh.

Maximum Ride: Chatroom Chaos by Lucianna Demonica because it's awesome.

So, that's the last of my creativity for tonight. I'll put a link to my DA account when I get it (Mom, if you're reading this(stop invading my privacy!), then, Dad said I could!) and...I'm dead to the world now.

IFX: One last one, please?

Me: Fine. With the last of my strength, patience, and sanity...

**CUUUUUURRRSSE YOOOOOOUUUUU DYYYLLLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!** Okay. I'm done. R&R&Rant about Fax? Bye.


	8. 7 Pretzels and Pick Pocketing

AN: I'M ALIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVE!

That's right people, I didn't die a horrible, gruesome death. No, if I have anything to say about it, that fate will only come to Dylan. I think some people don't know about it, so I'll explain. That will make my rants make more sense (I have no idea if I already explained this, yaay!). So, Dylan is supposed to be Max's scientifically engineered perfect other half. Fang, her _soul mate_, has to fight for her affections in book 6. A fight in which I will be by his side! And so will Katie. That will play a big part in this chapter. –jerks head at foreshadowing- You know, I wanted to end this one partway through, but I decided to give you more. Lucky.

IP: DA…

Me: Oh yeah! Guys, I got a DeviantART account! Katie-the-pure-one is my name, you can find sad, why-I-didn't-write excuses there. And I use smileys. I'll put up some Katie pics soon. Anyways, reviewers were "I HEART MAXIMUM RIDE" (Yeah, Brigid is…AAARRRGGG. Only word for it.) and "Madeline Cullen" (If I get my hands on some wood, I'll make a little headstone for Dylan. If you, me, Katie, and Fang get at him, he'll be able to use it. I have lots of Triforce stuff, Fax water would be awesome, and stink bombs are always good. Yay, I reminded someone of something! Long parenthesis, yaaaaay!). They are awesome and win at life, Skycake, and Fax. The cake is a lie, I tell you, A LIE! Heh. I had writer's block, so this isn't my best work.

IP: Ahem…

Me: Uh, yeah…

**Disclaimer: **I don't own crap. Except my OCs and a fiery hate for Dylan. Ironic that I just posted a fic defending him.

On with chapter!

* * *

(KPoV)

It had been about an hour before Dr. Martinez convinced Max to convince the flock to go to a meeting for the CSM. That had, apparently, been the reason _Dwyer_ was there. By that point I had begun to openly be disgusted by her and her cow eyes at my second-best friend. Of course, because I can't really call her Dr. Amazing to her face, I resorted to _Dwyer_ inside my head.

I shuffled into the room behind the flock, well, behind Fang, who was behind Max, who was in front. I wondered if that meant I was part of the flock now, or if they were just being nice. Either way, we sat down in metal folding chairs, about the middle row. They were organized neatly in the room with a walkway right down the middle. I twitched. It was too orderly.

To my right was Squirt, with Max on his right by the aisle. To my left was Angel, Nudge to her left, Gazzy to hers, and Iggy to his. Total was being nice and decided to stay under Angel's chair of his own free will, probably because he couldn't see Akila from a chair. John, Dr. M., and Jeb were on the other side of the aisle. Brigid was up front by a screen with a few CSM big shots and a guy in a suit. Gah.

I could tell that I wasn't the only one starting to squirm in my seat. Iggy was busy getting his bearings, but Max was glancing around constantly and I knew Kid well enough to see that he was getting a bit twitchy. He still tried to keep Max calm, though. Man, _that's_ dedication.

Brigid clapped her hands to get everyone's attention and I started to recall her speech from my dreams. I started to drift off, biting my lip and staring off into space. I then got a warning, and my eyes widened. I felt myself stiffen, and I knew Squirt did as well. He glanced at me from the corner of his eye and raised his eyebrow. "Tin beffre yih." I muttered low enough that he could hear but no one else could. Except for maybe Iggy, if he was paying attention.

Squirt knew that I meant a whole paragraph, but since we couldn't remember and change every word we knew, we used simple terms. "Think before yes" I had said, then nodded my head slightly to Max. He had to make sure she didn't say yes, at least not right away, and he understood that much. His eyebrow rose once more, though, silently asking what the question was. My eyes turned to Brigid up on stage, and he understood.

But what he didn't know was that the man in the suit would cause trouble. If I could just keep them away from him, they wouldn't go to Africa. And they wouldn't have to worry about quite as much.

* * *

Angel had been glancing at me during the rest of the speech, and I wondered if she knew about my premonition. I was proven right when she told Max that she really didn't want to go. Brigid had introduced the flock to some rich scientist who ran a company in Africa. He seemed very interested in them, but me…not so much. I knew why, though. But I wasn't about to tell anyone in the flock.

When she had read off the list of people suggested to go to Africa with him, a list we were on, Nudge had looked to Max with hope in her eyes. Hope that wouldn't have stood a chance against my reasoning, if I could've told them. We now stood in the mess hall discussing it. To go, or not to go, that was the question. And the answer, my dear Hamlet, was not to go. Honestly, we really didn't need the problems.

"I really want to go! I mean, it'll be really fun! C'mon, please?" Nudge really wanted to go, but thank God for Max's paranoia.

"I don't know, Nudge. We have to make sure it's safe first." Max's patience was wearing thin when she looked at me. "Katie?"

I opened my mouth to say "Maybe it's not such a good idea." But then, joy of joys, my headache throbbing painful-all-over feeling came back. I grabbed my head with my right hand as my left curled into a white-knuckled fist. I shook my head no, bad idea bad ideaBADIDEA.

"No Africa. Bad. Owwww…" My face scrunched up at the burning in my mind. Angel nodded furiously at my words. Max's hands were up in a defensive position, her eyes wide. Everyone gaped as my blood vessels became more prominent, my powers taking their toll on my body.

"Okay, _okay_, we won't go, jeez!" Fang came back to his senses to say, and my breath hissed out from where it burnt in my lungs. My posture straightened a bit as the pain faded, and the tension, the constant pressure, eased a bit. I had felt like I was going to implode.

I felt my blood vessels slowly becoming normal sized, and truly hoped that would never happen again. It was creepy. Of course, when everything goes to crap, Brigid shows up. "Well, have you decided? Personally, I think it would be a wonderful experience." She smiled, 'cause she was _soooo _innocent. Hah.

"Oh, I know _you_ do, and I know why. But I don't wanna' go, Angel don't wanna' go, and I'm sure that if the flock knew what would happen, they wouldn't wanna' go neither. And telling them would defeat the whole purpose. Didn't count on me knowing this, _did ya'_?" I was about to throw a tantrum, they _didn't understand_. For the love of _God_, they should have just _**listened to me**_. Jeez.

_Dwyer_ frowned. "Well, you probably don't know about Dylan. He's-"

"Don't. You. _Even_." I seethed. I was officially out of patience, I was ready to snap. Angel, if you hear a rubber band break, tell everyone to make a run for it. _Okay… _My hands curled into fists at my sides. "I know perfectly well who, or what Dylan is. That's kinda' what I'm _against_. But noooo, of course **you're** _all freaking for it_. Just one thing. It won't freaking end well! So just. Step. OFF!" In the back of my mind, I registered the sound of rubber being stretched too far, if I didn't calm down it would snap. _I_ would snap.

Brigid took a step back, then turned and ran like the girly-girl she was. I spun around to glare at the flock, I just needed to get something out.

Squirt's eye twitched. "What are you on, and did Iggy and Gazzy give it to you?"

My eyes went wide. My mouth hung open. The entire right side of my face twitched. The left side of my mouth curled up. "Heh. Heheh. Hehehehehahahaha!" I started flat out laughing, I barely registered mutterings of my sanity while I collapsed. I was busting a gut, half-asleep, and probably insane.

Yeah, like _that_ hasn't happened before.

* * *

(3rd Person POV)

Fang looked to Angel. "She hasn't been sleeping, has she?" Angel shook her head no, walking alongside him. Katie was limp in his arms, cradled against him. In her sleep, she moved closer to her source of comfort, away from Fang. His eyebrows crinkled a bit; he was concerned.

Max had explained to Dr. M. that the flock wasn't going to go to Africa. Dr. M. was explaining to Brigid, some scientists, some people in suits, and a few random but important CSM members that the big important guy who had come to take the flock there would be going back alone. And Fang got the feeling that he really didn't want to know this Dylan guy. Even thinking the name left a bad taste in his mouth.

Katie was gently lowered onto her bed, and her eyes opened. She stared into nothingness. Her pupils were as large as the grassy green irises they were in. They continued to grow. Angel and Fang watched, and after a few minutes, the black completely encompassed the green. And it didn't stop. So slowly that anyone but a bird-kid would have missed it, the darkness swept over the border of color and spilled into the white.

The two met each other's gazes, and slowly left the room. As the door closed, Fang cast a worried glance over his shoulder. Katie was in deep.

* * *

(KPOV)

_The images flashed before my eyelids at mach speed. I barely had time to register what they were before they flashed away. But I knew that my subconscious was keeping a detailed record. Suddenly, I was in a tall skyscraper, looking out on a city. My city. New York, New York. The room seemed like plush office, one a businessman or CEO would sit in and yell at people in other countries over the phone._

_The sound of polished wood scraping the shag carpet met my ears, and I turned to see a short Asian man enter the room. He looked angry, and he was yelling at someone behind him. I concluded that this was Mr. Chu. "No! Shut it down, shut it all down!" _He was _pissed_. _He sat at his desk and propped his elbow on the wood. His head sagged into his palm as he muttered. "Why must I work with such idiots?"_

_The person following him walked in, his brown hair slicked back, the gray pinstripe suit shouting of his apparent importance. "We can't shut it all down. We've lost control of most of the situation!"_

_"Well then what do you suppose we do?!" Mr. Chu was about ready to tear the other guy's head off. "I say we simply get rid of the two problem experiments, separate them from the main focus. They are the foundation of the flock's wasted efforts." _Whoa, who was this guy talking about? _The brown-haired guy hesitated, then nodded._

_"Yes sir." He left the room in a hurry. Mr. Chu sagged in his fancy leather swivel chair that seemed to be in every bigwig's office._

_"The dark one stands in my way of Maximum, and the psychic will prevent my attempts from being successful. They must be eliminated."_

That was when all thought stopped. My mind faded in an instant, taking the vision with it. Bright starbursts of red, orange and yellow flashed through my tortured skull. I felt myself move in my sleep, trying to hold the fractured pieces of my head together. I must have rolled off of the bed because suddenly the ground smashed into me. The pain worked its way into the center of my skull, but I had already that that would happen. Not from my visions, but from experience.

My eyes cracked open, the pain still ripping me apart, but this was the only way to get rid of it quickly without passing out. I felt the muscles in my spine move until I was sitting upright. This was all autopilot now. It took a few minutes, but I managed to stand up using my bed for leverage, causing the pain to go away. I felt odd, it seemed like it had been there forever.

"Your eyes are back to normal, at least." I whipped around to see Fang in my doorway. I frowned. "The pupils were bigger than the green part. Must have been some vision." His eyebrow rose, asking what _else_ had happened.

I sighed. "I got a splitting headache. Like, railroad spike through the face type splitting. It's gone now, though." He blinked, because that was _sooo_ shocking. Of course, I _never_ let my powers get control. I frowned again, reminding myself to be a bit less negative. "What?"

"That…used to happen to Max." He seemed to consider it when Max walked in, eyebrow raised.

"What used to happen to Max?" She asked, looking at Fang like she would try to hold whatever it was against him for the rest of his life or until he paid her off or something. Those two with their competitiveness.

"The Brain Attacks. Katie just had one." Max went a bit white in the face, and I looked at them weird.

"Probably just nothing, okay?" I almost left the room, but hesitated. "Y'know, in my vision I think I saw that Mr. Chu guy. He's got an office in a skyscraper in New York. Hope it helps." I walked to the kitchen and made some soup, Campbell's no matter what Iggy thinks of it, my throat was a bit scratchy.

* * *

Seeing as we knew where Mr. Chu was, we set out the next morning for New York, New York. By morning, I mean 6:00 AM. What the crap. Those of us not designed for early rising (Me, Nudge, Gazzy, Iggy, partly Max, partly Fang) dragged ourselves to a large van. There were only the two front seats with the back of the van lined with benches.

I was about to sigh and flop down on one when I realized that the others would want to as well. I sighed again and waited for everyone else to enter the van. Nudge flopped down on the left side, Gazzy on top of her (which neither seemed to mind), Iggy curled into a ball at the edge of the bench, all of them too tired to care if they crushed their wings. They'd regret that later.

The rest of us managed to retain a little dignity, Max and Fang sitting next to each other on the right bench, Angel sitting comfortably on the rest of it while I gracefully, flawlessly, intentionally tripped on the edge of the van, landing flat on my face, sprawled on the floor. "I meant to do that. Sort of." I mumbled, Angel giggling in the background. She nodded, I had meant to sleep on the floor, I just didn't plan on tripping. It did make things easier, though.

I curled up on my side and went back to Snoreville: Population- The lazy people of the world.

* * *

A semi-large pothole had apparently been overlooked by today's road crews, so when the van hit it, I awoke instantly. I didn't move, though my mind had sprung to consciousness. When I had determined that I was still where I had fallen asleep, I allowed my heartbeat to escalate to its normal rate, my breathing signaling that I was awake. I sat up, a bit more rested thanks to a near visionless sleep. Of course, I don't count the constant premonitions, but they're always there.

"You get some rest." I heard Kid say, as I looked to him and saw Max falling asleep against his chest. He kissed her forehead as she drifted off.

"Aaaawwww. My little Squirt's all grown up." I gave a mock sniffle and wiped away a fake tear. He frowned at me as he began to wrap his wing around Max unconsciously. I glanced at it and raised an eyebrow. His eyes flicked and he tried to move it away, but I gave the feathered appendage a little push towards Max. He looked at me skeptically before wrapping his wing around her, making her smile in her sleep. He at least had the decency to blush a bit.

"Kodak moment. Click." I whispered as I raised my hands and made a small camera shape in the air, pressing the imaginary button on top. I smiled, and looked ahead of me to see the back of van. Outside the window the sky was a pale blue-grey, a cloudy mid-afternoon day in wherever.

I looked to Squirt. "Maryland. You were out for a while." I blinked, I must have been really worn out. Just as I thought about sleep, I wanted to curl up and be dead to the world once more. Me being me, I didn't allow myself that. I just sat and lost myself in my thoughts.

I remembered back to when I slept in an alley and pick pocketed for food. Most people wouldn't sell anything to a kid with no supervision, but some were either nice or stupid enough to not ask questions. One I trusted enough to go to when I was freezing during the winter, or starving enough to swallow my pride. I didn't want to go too often because someone would've noticed and he'd of gotten in trouble. I didn't want that to happen, so my friend and I went maybe once a month to buy from him and ate from trash cans and dumpsters the rest of the time.

My thoughts began to drift to my friend. I hoped he was okay, he had been so small when I disappeared. If he _was _okay, he probably didn't want to be around me anymore. Well, that was unlikely, but it was still a big possibility. He'd be my age now, and I wondered if he was bigger or more experienced than me. If he had shot past me like Squirt, I would have been pissed.

Before I knew what I was doing, I had scooted over to the edge of the bench where Fang was sitting. I leaned my back against the bottom, by his legs, and began to drift off. Just before I was away in la la land, I felt a wing wrapping lightly around me. I must've been really worn out, because I fell into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

The road quality must have dropped big time, because I woke up to another pothole. I had held on to the habit of not letting anyone know that you're awake, so not even Iggy expected my comment. "Man, I'm starvin'. Anyone plan ahead and bring food?" I batted Kid's wing out from in front of my face and gave a hopeful look around the van.

"Nope. You go hungry." A voice rumbled from above me, a playful edge hidden in the words.

I looked at him and snarled. "Ha ha. You're hilarious, Kid. At least I know how to go hungry with _dignity_. And _class_. And _grace_. And stuff." I stuck my tongue out at him. That was why I hadn't wanted to get too much sleep. It made me a bit hyper, seeing as I almost never got more than a few hours a day.

I stood up in a low crouch and walked over to the window in the back doors. Upon looking out I saw something I hadn't seen in years. New York City, the Big Apple, whatever you call it. I was home. I immediately recognized the street we were on. "Get them to stop here!" I shouted to Angel, who relayed the message to the surprised agents in front. The van pulled over and came to a smooth stop. A window separating the front of the van from the back rolled down and Mr. Cairow peered at us through his sunglasses.

"This isn't where you were assigned to get out." He said as if it should have been obvious. My jaw set in place.

"Yeah? Well, _I'm_ getting out _here_. Any problems should be written down and thrown into the nearest trash can." With that I opened the back of the stupid thing and stepped out onto the pavement. I took a deep breath, inhaling the smell of trash, filth, smoke, gasoline, and pretzels. I knew them all well, and headed for a pretzel stand down the street. I stepped up onto the sidewalk and barely glanced over my shoulder to see the flock following me, however hesitant.

I smiled a demonic smile that scared the crap out of most people and set my pace a bit faster, still walking but more efficient and…faster. I passed about five side streets before stopping and looking across the sidewalk. The flock, in half fall half winter coats, shuffled up behind me. I looked at the circle of light behind the clouds almost directly above me, judging the time. I counted down.

"Three. Two. One." Just then, a bright red sports car came barreling down the street, occasionally blaring the horn as the pedestrians passing through dove for the safety of the curb. The people who lived around here or commute daily spared a chuckle; that man had been driving like a manic since before I was born. Same time, same roads, every day. I loped across the pavement to the other side of the street, closely followed by the flock. They must have thought more speed demons would come.

The heavenly smell of fresh pretzels wafted over to me as I approached the cart on the other side of the street. The bulky man in an even bulkier coat had no problem keeping warm next to the pretzel heater. I smiled, remembering times when I had crouched beside him, hand rolling the pretzels in return for the offer of warmth. That, of course, had been after I had gotten frostbite the previous winter.

I stepped up to the front of the cart and gave a smile to the man. "So, this place have a name, or is generic?" He recognized me somehow, whether it was the trademark sarcastic greeting or the glint in my eye, I didn't know. What I did know was that Mr. Moore was still happy to see the freeloading little street kid I was.

His eyes widened as he smiled. "Kiddo? Is that you?" I nodded, then spit out a bit of fuzz from my sky blue turtleneck. It wasn't the warmest thing ever, but I had gone through December with worse. "You ain't been 'ere in 'ears. Where ya' been? Wanna' pretzel? On the house."

I smiled. "I've been in California, believe me, you don't wanna' know. And yeah, some pretzels would be great. My friends here eat a _lot_, so we'll probably stop by again today or tomorrow." I turned to the flock who were staying back, ever paranoid. "Oh, come _on_ ya' sissy tourists. This is Mr. Moore. He's awesome and I swear if you steal from him, you're as bad as the rest of the street people." I ended in a serious frown, then turned to my pretzel vending friend who was obviously trying to look like he wasn't listening. He was.

"Say, uh, have you seen…" I trailed off, knowing that as much as I trusted the flock, he wouldn't want me to let them know his name quite yet.

"Not since about five 'ears 'go. He stopped comin' 'round 'en." He looked sorry, like he didn't want to have to tell me that. He definitely knew I didn't want to hear it.

"Zut alors. C'est wigg'n. Il est un faux tough nut. Agh, zut il." I sighed. "I rambled in French again, didn't I?" He nodded, and handed me a pretzel.

"An' ya' threw in some things I ain't heard since the 90s." He brushed some sticky sugar stuff onto another pretzel, poured on some salt, and handed it to me. I turned to see the flock gaping at me, except for Squirt who was well aware of my bilingual type -ness.

"Oh, shove a pretzel in it." I handed Kid his and shoved a part of Nudge's into her open mouth.

She chewed it then said "Oh, wow, this is really good! Can I have two, please Max, please?" A man in a suit walked by me. After he passed I flicked my wrist.

She seemed to come back to her senses then. "No, Nudge, we don't exactly have the money for-"

"Uh, yeah we do. Right here." I held up a wad of bills. Max's eyes widened.

"Where did you get that?" She seemed suspicious, while Mr. Moore chuckled behind me, most likely shaking his head in amusement.

"Some dude's wallet." I jerked my thumb over my shoulder in the direction he had gone. I had taken his wallet, taken the money, and thrown the empty wallet a little ways away. When he realized it was missing he would retrace his steps and find it, but by the time he realized there was no money, I would be long gone. It was a habit that every person in a suit was a prime target for me.

Max blinked, about to remark about not seeing me take it or how I did that or something or other when Angel and Gazzy rushed past me for their pretzels. I spun and took the next two, giving one to Max and one to Iggy. I waited a few seconds for the next two and gave Nudge her second, inhaling the aroma from mine. These were some of the staples of my life until I was taken. I took a bite, and true to his word, they were always the same gooey-in-the-center, quality-first, delicately-balanced-flavors pretzels Mr. Moore had sold for years.

Angel gave me an odd look, and I looked back. "So I like pretzels. Problem?" I spit a few crumbs while talking, and the mind reader was clearly thinking that it was best to just go along with my weirdness. She was right, because this was my town, these were my memories, we were on my playing field.

Mr. Chu was so screwed.

I finished my little piece of heaven in a knot and placed a few bills down on the cart. Mr. Moore tried to argue, but I gave him a look that said "You know what I'm doing." He took the money and began to roll more dough into the pretzels no one seemed to know about, but everyone craved once in their life. I took out a Triforce wallet and neatly placed the rest of my "earnings" into it. I crossed the street as the flock followed behind.

I felt a slight rush of air and my jeans pocket became looser, but only I seemed to notice. I calmly sauntered to the closest alley and felt the sensations of sentimental reminiscing type feelings. I walked around the mini dumpster there slowly and-

He hit the opposite wall with a thud, his arm twisted behind his back, his cheek pressing into the filthy bricks. I lifted my knee to hold his left hand while mine took my wallet from his right, corkscrewed by mine. "You never could get past me." His eyes widened, the blue beginning to shine with familiarity. "Now, didn't we agree that we would never steal each other's stolen stuff? Unless we were being jerkish, of course."

"Katie." He murmured, sounding a bit forlorn. Wait, what?

I let go of him and he whirled around to look me in the eyes. A second later I was crushing his ribs in my arms, never wanting to let go. I had finally found my best friend again. He was safe. I leaned up to whisper in his ear as his arms came around me.

"Hey Spike-man. How's life?"

* * *

AN: Looooooooong chapter. Long awaited long chapter. I didn't know quite how to put a lot of this, and I'm not gonna' take the time to spell check or anything, because I've kept you waiting long enough.

IP: Three weeks...

Me: Stop reminding me. **(Rant Alert! Serious, Katie no happy rant alert!) **Ugh. School. I swear, the BOE is really trying to murder us all. My parents have told me that I can make mistakes sometimes and that it's fine, but really, no. I want to say I want to crawl in a hole and die, but that sounds suicidal. I'm not. I want to say I want people to stop bothering me and just leave me alone, but that sounds depressed. I'm not. I want to get straight A+'s this year. But I won't. Contrary to popular belief, I AM NOT GOD. I do not know everything. I do not know all my classmates names. I struggle in some classes. Then, my teachers go and tell me that I'm the best student in the class or that something I did was really good, and it's like, yay, I'm awesome, but then I think, and I'm all, oh, crap, they think I can still **improve**! PANIC! Or a classmate tells me I'm too smart and they're smiling 'cause it's funny, and I laugh a little, but then I think, and they don't now how right they are. I feel like a Max without a Fang to understand her and support her, and be there for her. I hope I meet my Fang soon. **(The rant is now over. Repeat, the rant is now over. Thank you)**

IP: ...

Me: That felt _really_ good. It's easier to pretend people read the ANs and care a little. Well, two people might, or they might just read the review responses. If anyone actually reads these, don't really be all sympathetic or nothin'. It's dramatized with midnight sleeplessness. Or I'm oblivious when the sun's out. Meh. Payne, go away for a second. IFX, c'mere.

IFX: Coming!

Me: Oh yeah, before I let my mind go to the crudder, I'm _fairly_ sure the French translates to "Darn it all. It is wigg'n. He is a fake tough nut. Agh, darn him." Why does Katie speak French? Because: A) Her parents played those language tapes when she was two, they had gone through most subjects on tape as if they knew she wouldn't go to school, and B) I'm taking French and need an outlet for my horrible teacher. :) Oh, IFX, explain the "Down With Dylan Movement"

IFX: Okay, well, it's where you put "Official member of the Down With Dylan Movement" into the top of your profile- wait. Did you already explain this?

Me: I d'unno.

IFX: Well, you put it in your profile at the top and you write a oneshot or even a story. It has Dylan dying and the Fax continuing or Dylan stepping back and being a nice guy and not getting in the way. Hating him is optional. We actually wrote a oneshot, but it hasn't been reviewed yet. Use it as an example, and hey, if you want we can try to make a story out of it. I think that's it, oh! Someone made a oneshot that said Down With Dylan. Was that the first member we actually know of?! I forget and/or was never told.

Me: You're...sane. What happened? Forget it. Forget it, don't tell me. Ugh. Reminds me...

R&R? I _need_ some motivation, guys. Uh, thanks. 1 AM. Tired. Bye.


	9. 8 Fight or Flight!

AN: WARNING: I have decided that, to allow for the further expression of the characters, there will now be what I consider swears in this story. Only minor ones and hints at major ones. …kthxbai.

No, seriously though, I despise it when I swear. ...Why do you all have pitchforks? Where did you get those torches? What are you doing? No. Get away from me! AUGH!

IP: -shakes head- She deserves it...

IFX: Yeah, I mean, it's been, what, a month?

IFG: She doesn't even really have a good chapter. It's short and choppy. It sucks.

IP: Yeah, and the plot is on hold for _this_...?

Me: -pant- -pant- Augh...why didn't you help me?!

IP: -shrug-

Me: -glare- Well, guys, sorry, but I have school. Don't worry, I have Thanksgiving break. That should give me some time to...put some pictures up on DeviantArt. 'Cause I'm probably not gonna' update this again soon, I can't really write it during school. Um, another thing...I gave Katie a certain Mary-Sueness test, where 50+ points is Mary-Sue and she got a 96. I took it again ant made it so that I was really lenient, and she got a 75. -sigh- I fail. But at least I didn't break 100. I'd go...jump through a window or something. Not for any reason, just 'cause I never jumped through a window before. Is it fun?

IP: Ahem...

Me: Oh, right. The reviewer was Madeline Cullen. Thanks! Yeah, authors steal OCs all the time. Maybe we actually help them write, like, he had nameless-Fax-killer-guy, but needed a name and went, "Hey, that's good." and took it. I wouldn't be surprised.

Either way what which, this chapter...ehhh. Not very good. But, it's something. -you all remember the wait and return to maul me- AAAHHHH!

IP: Avert your eyes...

* * *

(KPoV)

Light footsteps at the opening to the alley told me that maybe I should make myself look a bit less gushy and sentimental. Then again, I could just knock their heads together. Yep, that sounds about right. I loosened my grip on the brown haired boy, signaling that he should let go. He was still facing me, and the wonder in his eyes was clear. Time to turn that smile upside down!

I looked over his shoulder and grimaced. The flock was there, gaping. Well, except for Fang, who was glaring at the boy in front of me. Time to explain. He whirled, wiping any trace of emotion off his face to glare hatefully at Fang. I stepped to the side and looked back and forth between the two. "You…and you…you both… Oh, crap, did **I** teach you that? Oh, that's great. Nice thing to teach small children, complete impassiveness. Augh. Now I know why you're both so screwed up."

They turned to glare at me, looked back at each other confusedly, then a uttered a simultaneous "Who is this guy?" I really wished they would stop glaring at each other. I was pretty sure I had taught them that. It was weird.

"Is he giving you trouble?" my friend ground out, a feral growl beginning in his throat.

"I was going to ask the same about you." Kid forced through his glare.

I stepped an equal distance between the two and placed one hand behind each of their heads. Before they could protest I smashed their skulls together with a crack that echoed through the alley. They staggered back a bit, holding their heads and cursing my name.

"Ow! Katie, what the Hel-"

"Language!" I sighed. "Now that we've agreed that you're both idiots, Spike-man, this is Fang. Apparently I have a tendency to raise the less fortunate and or orphaned. Fang, I have told you about him a lot, I'm surprised you don't recognize him. Now say sorry and make nice." They opened their mouths to complain. "I said _say sorry_ and _make nice_." They raised their hands in defeat and mumbled apologies in each others' general directions.

Angel, being Angel, had probably been probing my friend's mind for evil intent. She bounced up to him, blond curls swaying. She looked like a cute little innocent girl. Spike-man didn't trust her, tightening his muscles in case he had to run. "Hi. I'm Angel. Is Spike-man your _real_ name?"

He glanced at me from the corner of his eye. Or, at least where I had been. By that point, I knew that the introductions would be tedious, like most are, so I was keeping myself entertained. I was banging my forehead in the brick wall. My friend raised an eyebrow, then sighed. "You're gonna' force me to trust them, aren't you?"

"Ow. Ow. Pretty. Much. Ow." He pulled me away from the wall by my hair. I took the time to wonder if it was bad that my stomach erupted in butterflies. Oh, crap. That could end really well, or really badly. I was brought out of my ponderings by my friend.

"No, it's not my real name. You don't _need_ to _know_ my real na-" I whacked him upside the head. Much better. He mumbled something under his breath. I whacked him again. "It's Mason, okay?!"

I smiled. Aww, he was making friends. Completely against his will, but still. "I still don't get why you don't like people knowing your name." I turned so I could speak to everyone. "He is my friend, and he is going to stay with us or so help me, I will drag you across town by your wings."

Mason raised his eyebrows. "They have wings?"

I was pretty sure Max and Fang were trying to kill me with glares. "Oops. I guess now we _have_ to trust him. My bad." I shrugged and smiled. Mason demanded an explanation as Mr. and Mrs. Paranoid tried to murder me with their eyes. And so began the monotonous "Why we're mutants" speech.

* * *

(3rd Person PoV)(_KSPoV)_

The flock, Katie, and Mason had exited the alley and were walking towards a hotel they could stay at for the night. Katie quietly explained the situation to Mason as Max, Fang, and Iggy felt their claustrophobia set in. This city was full of people, closing in around them, the flock staying huddled together to avoid getting lost.

_Maximum_, the Voice came to her. _You need to be on guard here._

"_Oh, because I'm not on guard everywhere else?_" The bird girl scowled. "_What am I supposed to be looking for, anyways_?"

_You need to pay attention, Maximum. The past is history. The future is a mystery. But now is a gift. That is why it is called the present. Learn your history, or it repeats in your present and spoils your future._

"_WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?!_" Max shouted in her mind.

"_Maximum, pay attention! The alley!_" Max frantically swung her head in all directions, looking for any signs of danger.

"'Ey you…" A scratchy voice slurred from the alley behind the flock. A man in gangly clothes, covered in dirt and several unidentifiable substances, rose from a pile of garbage, beer bottles, and his own refuse. Katie and Mason, the only ones visible from the crevasse between buildings, froze. Their eyes flicked to the man, and the psychic's eyes widened as her blood ran cold.

"Ah 'member you," the drunk slurred. "You was that kid what come into mah alley. I guess I di'n't teach you a good 'nough less'n." He pulled out a slightly large size pocket knife, which glinted in the small light that reached the shadows of his hiding place. In that moment, five people remembered back to an earlier time.

* * *

Fang's mind reeled. Katie had told him about her scar, each detail revealed with such precision and clarity that he doubted either of them would ever forget it.

"_Well," she began. "If you really want to know, it's because I didn't know the rules. In the streets, there are rules, and I was just starting out, so I didn't know. I…I was in someone else's alley, his home. He was a druggie, or a crack head, or a drunkard, and he whipped out a knife and…taught me a lesson. That's all there is to it."_

Thinking further back, he remembered the first time he had seen it.

_Her head tilted forwards slightly, showing a prominent scar running from underneath her hair on the left side of her head above her eyebrow to the middle of her forehead._

The story of her scar had scared him, made him fearful of a knife in any hand but his own. True, he had seen many scars, but they had all come from Whitecoats, straight and precise. This was messy and slightly jagged, having healed a bit differently than the rest of her skin. It scared him.

* * *

Max watched Fang's eyes as they landed upon the blade, recognizing the fear that shone in them from an earlier time.

_Jeb had helped them to escape the School, and he had given them a home. She and Fang sat at the kitchen table, checking their surroundings, becoming familiar with the house. Max couldn't help but stare at her second in command as he surveyed the kitchen. Because of this, she saw the minute widening of his eyes, the glint of fear that shook through him. Then, just as quickly, it was gone. She couldn't help but wonder, though, what it was that could scare Fang._

And now that Max knew, she couldn't blame him.

* * *

Angel was only a small child when she realized that something was missing from Fang, something big. He would often think things that confused him more than her. Some of his fears could not be justified, such as his fear of knives and fire, and now she had seen the power of both. The fire in Katie's memories and dreams, so deep within her subconscious that she didn't realize it was there. The knife reflecting the crazed look in the man's eyes as he gripped the hilt tighter.

* * *

Mason tensed, ready to run, not sure what this guy was on. If he was just a drunk they could take him no problem, but if he was a crack-head…he tried not to think about it. True, he and Katie had spied on this man as children, but people change a lot in ten years…

* * *

Katie was a bundle of nerves, coiled as tight as a spring. A legion of memories swept to the surface, threatening to overwhelm her. She, with a mighty burst of will, forced them down, still feeling them as a lump in her throat. Her blood rushed beneath her skin, pale as the snow with fear.

Fight or flight. An instinct you live by on the streets. The way you stay alive in experimental Hell.

Fight or flight. Fight? Flight?

Fight?

_No!_

For quite possibly the first time in her life, Katie's common sense was not the first option. But it would not be ignored.

_RUN!_

And she was gone.

* * *

AN: That was to de-Sueify her a bit. Because even psychic mutant street kids get scared sometimes. Okay, but still, and stuff, and junk, and, yeah. I don't know what to say here. Oh, anyone read The Sue Slayers? It hasn't updated in longer than me. That's...augh. Well, whatever, I can rot my brain with Oregon Trail YouTube videos. I'm doing that a lot lately. You're probably thinking, "Where's her weird rant thing?" It's on DA. No, but I'm trying to cut down on that. Augh. Uh, I took down my poll and put up another. Go forth. Be polled. Read Fax (or any pairing of your choosing). Play Oregon Trail. Then put it on YouTube.

R&R. Look at my Twilight Christmas carol. Read more FanFiction. See more FanArt. Remind me what I'm forgetting.

Meh, whatever. See ya'.

Oh! Anyone catch the _hint_?


	10. 9 What just happened?

AN: Dear readers,

I regret to inform you that I will be discontinuing this story. It's too much of a hassle, and life keeps getting in the way. I want you to know that every review has meant a lot to me…

IP: -bursts out laughing-

Me: -chucklesnort- Okay, I _had_ to have gotten at least one of you. Wait, was that cruel? Well, whatever, this is your Christmas gift. MERRY CHRISTMHANUKWANZAA EVERYONE, and don't expect much for New Years! …Guess how many reviews last chapter got. Go on, guess. None. Can I have one as a Christmas present/Hanukah present/Kwanzaa gift /holiday gift/other? Here, have an extra gift…

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Maximum Ride, if I did, the Fax would survive guaranteed. I do, however, own the excessive use of the phrase "What just happened?"

And so on and so forth. To the chapter!

(3rd Person PoV)

Angel shook Katie's arm, whispering to her to keep from waking Mason. "Katie. Wake up. Hey."

Katie murmured something Angel distinguished as "Demonic little imp…"

"I'm gonna' go out on a limb and say Freddie-Krugar-with-a-chainsaw dream." Angel jumped as Mason leaned up onto his elbows next to Katie. Angel had expected him to still be asleep in the other bed, across the room. Suddenly, Katie went white and stiffened. She shot up in bed, eyes glazed over with sleep and fear.

"Gonna' go out on another limb and say Freddie-Krugar-with-a-match dream."

* * *

(KPoV)

I glanced around frantically; I couldn't remember where I was. From my left I could hear someone laughing, not maniacally, just, at someone's expense. As I listened more closely, I realized what had happened.

The flock had caught up with me, found me hiding in a vacant alley. I didn't remember the man being _quite_ that menacing. We had all continued on to the Sally Jackson Motel, what seemed to be one of many diamonds in the rough. Ms. Jackson, a kind woman in about her 30s or 40s, ran the building with her son and his friend, Percy and Grover. Sometimes another friend helped them out, a girl named Annabeth. For anything. Except the bathroom.

It was a great place to stay, comfortable and welcoming. We had booked 4 rooms, and paired up. Me and Mason, who I promptly pushed off the bed for laughing at me, Nudge and Angel, Iggy and Gazzy, and Max and Fang. After much snickering on the parts of Iggy, Mason, and myself towards the flock couple, we had all gone to bed. After much deliberation consisting of a few minutes in separate beds, Mason and I had found the distance to be too much. We had just found each other again, we weren't going to let go.

"Katie," Angel began. "You…you need to go talk to Iggy." Now I understood her hesitance. This was…disturbing.

"Do I haaaave toooo?" I whined, already bracing myself.

"Yes." The three of us answered at once. I pushed myself up off the bed, but was stopped when Mason grabbed my wrist.

"I'll go, uh…be somewhere else." Angel exited the room, disappearing into the hallway.

"Hey. Uh, there's something I've been meaning to tell you all day." Mason became awkward, a far cry from his usual gracefulness, er, _steadiness_. Yeah, steadiness. "Actually, I kind of realized it a few years ago, but you weren't here then." He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. We were now sitting side by side on the bed. "It's about you…and me…and…_feelings_."

I tensed. "Thanks for the forewarning." Funny, the entire room was white and blue, blue being my favorite color. This fact was suddenly very interesting. I began to count the little paint marks in the ocean blue wall.

"Yeah. Look, Katie, I know you're good with stuff when it's not you or related to you, but I don't know…how to say this, exactly." He saw my eyes flash a bit, knowing it was a vision. Something told me he was adjusting well to that. "You already know."

Yes. "Wha'? No, what?" He sighed. I needed to hear him say it if I was going to believe him.

"Katie…I like you. I really, _really_ like you. Maybe even…well, maybe even love. I dunno'." I saw that he was also intrigued by the skill of hotel wall painters. I looked over. He looked back. Oh, _shit_. Pardon my Spanish ('Cause that definitely wasn't French.). His eyes were…_burning_. My hand reached out, _completely_ of its own will, and laced my fingers through his.

"I, uh," I coughed. "I…really like you too."

He looked like he was trying to see my thoughts in my eyes. He failed miserably. "Maybe even love?"

I swear to Miyazaki, I didn't melt as much as Max looking at Fang. "Yeah," I hoped I sounded more confident than I felt. "Maybe even love." His eyes seemed to change color, getting brighter, but it may have just been the way I looked at him. He leaned in.

I resisted the urge to tense up, wondering for a second if he knew of my lack of personal experience, then remembered he probably had no idea what he was doing either. His eyes were half closed, and I shut mine completely. One of his hands gripped mine tightly while the other rested on the side of my neck. I sensed the bed shift as he leaned in a bit further. I felt his cool lips brush my cheek, and a tiny spark lit there. His arms went around me, and mine around him.

"Not _too_ fast." He murmured against my neck. "Let's make sure this is right." I nodded into his hair, getting some sort of dirt grime mixture on my cheek.

I pulled away a bit and swiped my cheek across my shoulder. I smirked. "Mason, man what have you been sleeping in?"

He rolled with the punch. "Hmm. I'm not quite sure, but I think it leaked from a trashcan. Squeamish?"

"Nope." I smiled. Yeah, this was as close to love as I'd ever thought about. I'd wondered if I'd end up with someone, alone, or just plain dead, but I knew that if it was the first one, we'd need to be able to be friends and together couple type people at the same time. I frowned, now that I could remember the reason I was awake in the first place. "Gotta' go talk to Ig."

Mason tried to gulp inconspicuously, but failed. "'Kay. I'll be here."

"Yes you will." I got up and left the room. Once I was alone in the hall, I leaned back on the door and took in a shaky breath.

What just happened?

* * *

I opened the door to Iggy and Gazzy's room. It was dark, and a shadowed figure sat on one of the beds. His wings were wrapped around him slightly, his arms around his legs with his knees pulled up to his chest. He looked over as I entered.

I flicked the light on and shut the door. "So…" I tried as I sat by him on the bed.

"I've been meaning to talk to you. It's important." I was about to say that it had better of been for me to wake up at 1:30 AM to "talk." More like listen, as he didn't give me a chance to speak. Some talk.

"You've been here for a while now, and I feel a sort of connection with you." No you don't. "You feel it too." Since when? "I think…I think it's love at first sight, or, y'know, sound." Do I get a say in this?!

"Do I get a say in this?" He looked surprised, like his logic was infallible. "'Cause…well, 'cause I'm sorry Iggy, but I don't…I don't _feel_…the same way."

I think I may have just pissed him off. _No duh_, Angel told me telepathically. Iggy stood from his bed and pulled me up with him. One of his arms went around my waist, and the other held my cheek. His fingers brushed my hairline, almost tenderly, but it didn't feel…right. I didn't know him.

"You're not thinking straight. Here, let me help…" He began to lean in. My mind was a blank slate. I did the only thing I could think of. I punched his now-freakish face.

He staggered back a step, and I tore myself from his grasp. I dodged around him to the door, but only opened it partway. "If I'm right, you're in a river in Egypt."

He raised his eyebrow. "What?"

I smirked to myself. "Y'know, _de-Nile_." I exited his room, and returned to my own. I flopped down on my bed, my arm splaying itself across Mason's face. He gently took it in his hand and moved it to my side. I could tell that that was going to take some getting used to, seeing as _I_ would have whacked him with his own fist. As he put his arm around my waist, I had one bleary, sleep-deprived thought:

What just happened?!

* * *

We were in a sort of dining room place, sitting on a long, worn wooden bench. It was connected to a chipped wooden table with a blue tablecloth over it, like a picnic table. Most people would complain about _comfort_, or _splinters_, or blah, de blah, de blah. The entire building had more character than some people can ever hope to have (AKA: Whitecoats).

A rubber band flicked my arm for about the katrillionth time in the last 5 minutes. "If you don't stop that, I'm taking it away." I was seething. I had gotten that weird amount of sleep where you're not rested, but more sleep is impossible, I was wedged between a guy who could look impassive while _eating_ and a guy who shoved a whole grilled cheese sandwich in his mouth in under 20 seconds and swallowed it without chewing, I had had the top two _most embarrassing and awkward_ conversations of my life the night before in rapid succession, and to top it off, I physically could _not stop blushing_!

So _this_ was why Max didn't appreciate the teasing. Huh.

Iggy was glaring at his eggs across the table, Mason glaring at me for threatening his little rubber band on my right, everyone around me doing something that didn't involve pondering a quandary. Fang, to my left, was as impassive as I assumed he had been before I got here, whereas Max was a bit flustered, probably holding his hand underneath the table. Angel, on Iggy's right, kept glancing around, monitoring the thoughts around her. Nudge and Gaz, to Angel's right, were…playing footsie under the table?

Angel snickered, loving the drama going on. But for some reason, I didn't think that she really understood. She barely understood the concepts of love, stress, and heartbreak. She only knew that people felt them, and had a vague understanding of why.

"Dude, eat yer food or I'll eat it for ya'." Ah, Mason. Blunt, to the point, without boundaries, not letting people think…at all…ever…

My jaw clenched. Do not hit your boyfriend, do not hit your boyfriend, do not hit your boyfriend…

_Your what?_ I did not think that. _Yes you did._ I did not. _Yes you-_you heard nothing, I say, **you** **heard nothing**!

A fork was darting away from my plate, almost faster than most people could track. Wait, what? Mason tried to be discreet about chewing…my food!

I glared at him icily. "Totally _hate_ you right now." I muttered under my breath. A certain feathered idiot next to me snorted, as Mason smirked and opened his mouth.

"Aaaaauuuughlhghlhh." I could see his (my) partially chewed breakfast. The little hangey-ball, the, uh, uvula was dangling.

I frowned, feeling my face contort into a twisted mask of forced indifference. Leaning towards Fang, I suddenly lost my appetite. Too bad I was going to make myself eat anyways.

However, I scrapped that idea at what Angel said, practically announcing it for the whole table to hear. "Aww, their first lovers tiff."

Screw indifference, I was pretty sure my face was frozen in a part frown grimace; I probably looked like a demented clown. Next to me, Fang froze and let his orange juice dribble back into his cup. Actually, it seemed like everyone except Spike-head had gone still. He just kept on shoveling food into his mouth.

"Their first _what_?" Iggy's chilling voice cut into the silence. He seemed…flabbergasted. Or, incredulous. "Aren't they practically siblings?"

Well, we do have the DNA for it. "Uh…no?" I could only hope he dropped it.

"What the !$?&ing hell?" He didn't drop it. Max's yell for Iggy to watch his language went seemingly unnoticed.

"I believe," Mason began, practically _radiating_ an aura of restraint. "She said that she and I are not 'practically siblings.'"

"Well, then explain what you are." Iggy rose from his seat, Mason standing to meet him. Iggy had major height on him, and mutant strength…Mason had pissed off-edness and street experience…

But something about the look in their eyes told me that they were protective…_possessive_ of something…

An ice cold whisper. "Just what are you to her?"

Me?!

They're fighting over ME?!

…

What?! I _don't know either. Actually, no one does. Except, maybe Mason_. Yeah, thanks. 'Cause they were only treating me like an object. That's _no reason whatsoever_ to be pissed.

I think my eye was twitching.

"Well if you knew her as well as you _think_ you do, you wouldn't have to ask." From there, I just started staring off into space. I couldn't make sense of their words, and I barely registered the rising volume. The others joined in, I think, and there were some mentions of "…not an object," and "sexist pig." I did the only thing I knew wouldn't get me involved.

I picked up my fork, and ate my breakfast.

About five minutes of slight pandemonium and/or bird-kid warfare later, Blindo stomped back to the room, as Spikey stormed out the door.

I looked up at Fang.

"…_**What just happened?!**_"

* * *

AN: I dunno', what do you think just happened?

IFX: I dunno', what do you think just happened?

IP: -headdesk-

Me: Ahh, Christmastime. I hope you've enjoyed your present, just as I hope I'll enjoy mine. Now…how to waste time until Santa comes…reading your wonderful reviews, maybe?

R&R? Also, anyone here read Fullmetal Alchemist? I'm working on it! Oh, and I'm wondering if anyone caught the _hint_ last chapter as to one of the wider speculated plotholes in the MR fandom. I have several theories, but this is one of the ones that actually makes sense. So, ah…I ran out of things to say.

…

I'm gonna' post this now. Oh wait! Guys, I put Katie pictures up on my DeviantArt. Have you checked them out yet? Also, I have a poll here, "Who would win in a fight?" Give your opinion. Mine? It involves Chuck Norris.

Bye! PS: I haven't edited this. Heheh. -sweatdrop-


	11. 10 Right or Wrong?

AN: After trying for all of yesterday to upload this (without success) it is finally here! Chapter...uhh...ten? Eleven? Something like that. After mad creativity skills yesterday, I decided that I will try to update once a month. More if I suddenly develop talent. Thanks to my reviewers "Gontulet" (I have no idea what you just said. Sorry!) and "Zoe625" (Thank you very much!).

Now, onto the...

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Maximum Ride, as I am not James Patterson. If I were, I would not torture people with such long waits and trickery. Also, I don't own the out of order "Hot 'n' Cold" lyrics, which are by Katy Perry. _And_, I also don't own Percy, Annabeth, Grover, or Ms. Jackson. They are belonging to Rick Riordan. PS: I was using them before the movie commercials were on TV.  
**Claimer:** J'ai deux OCs. Ils est mon OCs. Ils n'est pas ton OCs. Mon OCs.

So, ah, yeah. I put up a new Deviation! My version of Fang's version of the manga version of the beach scene. -shamelessselfpromotion- I have more to say at the bottom.

This isn't madness! This isn't Sparta! This is MAX RIIIIIIIIDE!

* * *

(3rd Person PoV)

The rain pattered down onto the roof of the lonely building. Dilapidated shingles let small gaps through into the upper rooms, living quarters for the owner and her family. Inside the lobby, a young man made rain of his own. Shaking out his brown hair like a dog, Mason dripped slowly onto the wood-paneled floor. Annabeth skittered back a few steps, trying to avoid the small puddles. "Ugh. I have to clean that up y'know."

The boy rolled his eyes. "You know you're happy to help." The pair walked through the dining room to the kitchen, to find Grover grumbling to himself while washing an overload of dishes.

"You guys used a _lot_ of plates." He scrubbed one particularly stubborn piece of what used to be food. Mason could only chuckle; those bird-kids sure could eat.

"So, ah…anyone mind telling me what happened after I left?" He sat on one of the counters and raised an eyebrow.

"You mean, after you threw a diva tantrum and stormed out." Annabeth smirked.

"Ehh, details. What'd they do?"

Grover managed to stop snickering long enough to answer. "Katie demanded to know what happened, no one really knew, they continued eating, they went to their room, and I can practically _feel_ the angst radiating from up there."

Fondling a lock of his damp hair, Mason grimaced. "Not my fault the blind guy wants a pity date."

"Isn't that a little cruel?" Annabeth tied her blond hair back and picked up a dishrag, beginning to dry a glass.

"Y'know, just a _little_?" Grover smirked.

"Not really, no. The dude's been to Hell and back, this can't be nothin'. 'Sides, he's actin' like he threw down a flag and staked a claim on some new foreign land, or somethin'." Not the way he usually acted, from what Katie told him. She wouldn't be within 10 feet of him if he really acted like this.

Years upon years of living on the streets had sharpened Mason's instincts, combining with a strange pattern of DNA that gave him an odd, yet advanced thought process, and they told him that hanging around the sight challenged mutant was getting more dangerous by the second.

* * *

-FLASHBACK-

"_What is wrong with you?! Sexist pig!"_

"_When did this happen?!"_

"_Guys, something weird's going on."_

"_I thought he liked Ella."_

"_He liked Ella?!"_

"_Screw you!"_

"_Right back atcha'!"_

…

"_**What just happened?!**__"_

"_What was going on out here?"_

"_I was hoping you'd know."_

"_I haven't the faintest._"

-END FLASHBACK-

* * *

There was something in his stare. He had seen horrible things, without using his eyes. Did Mason really _need _to be with Katie, in whatever way they were?

He slid off the counter and shook his head. Of _course_ he did. Why did he even think like that? A warning cut its way through his stomach, making him wince at the intensity. Something was going on, noticed only by a level of higher perception he couldn't begin to understand.

Hands in pockets, he crossed through the dining room and lobby, avoiding the puddles, and climbed the stairs. No one was in the hallway, so no one noticed his hand pause above the doorknob of his room.

There was a twinge in his gut. Not the usual one, of anxiousness, fear, and a strong pull towards the girl that had taken him under her wing.

This was disgust.

It was wrong. Every part of him told him so. But so was she. So was this.

He forced it down. Acid churned in his stomach, screaming at him like the cast of a horror movie.

An image flashed before his eyes.

_A woman was sitting on the edge of his bed, brown hair down past her shoulders, motherly blue eyes locked to his. Gena; his mom._

_Light shone through the open door, illuminating a man standing there. His proud brown eyes hid behind his glasses, neatly combed brown hair casting shadows onto his face. Gerald; his father._

"_You'll do the right thing, whatever it is. I know you will."_

_He felt himself thrash around in his bed; a clear dismissal. Throwing the covers over his head, he knew what was right. Lying there, in a bed, with his happy family, was not. It was entirely wrong. Every cell in his body seemed to hum with electricity as he made his decision; he would leave, and wouldn't come back until it was right._

Right, wrong. Yes, no. Black, white. Hot, cold…what?

Mason clamped his hands to his head and shook it violently. Perhaps a bit too violently, as he fell down, slamming his funny bone on the lightly carpeted ground. He let out a hiss, rubbing his elbow as he hauled himself to his feet. The shock of pain, after a day of full meals, sleeping in beds, and being indoors, unexposed to the elements, straightened his thoughts back into something vaguely comprehensible.

First he was fighting over Katie with a blind guy, then he was disgusted with her, then he was having flashbacks and thinking of Katy Perry lyrics? What next, _not_ pick pocketing from snobs?

A haze spread across his mind, clouding his judgment, wavering his resolve, hiding the truth he groggily tried to sort out.

Something was wrong.

Something was wrong with his head.

Something was wrong in his head.

Something was in his head.

_Someone was in his head._

For one, terror-filled second, right and wrong were as clear cut as black and white.

Then, Mason crumpled to the floor.

* * *

AN: Short chapter is short. But hey, it's something. Rather epic-ish, no? Either way, some stuff's going on on this end right now, mainly teachers cracking down on us, 3rd Quarter blues, trying to find an application to a magnet school. That time consuming kind of thing.

Either way, I have a new poll up on my profile! And, uh, that's it, really. So. Well, I _think_ that's it. Except for...

R&R? I'm still a little pissed because of the chapter that got no reviews. And guess what? I actually have a plot now! Well, plot point. Yaay!

Bye! (I feel like I'm forgetting something! ARRGH.)


	12. 11 Stomach Gymnastics

AN: I've read far too many spoilers by this point, and...dad's watching NASCAR, apparently. I dunno. I get the speed/mastery of machines/technical part of it, but...left turn...left turn...left turn...what next? Oh yeah, left turn. The spin-outs are kinda' fun, though. Hehe, it sounds like a bunch of blenders.

I got so many reviews, it's just, wow. They were from "1-ceth" (twice! Yay!), "SassySabby97" (also twice! Also yay!), and "reader238" (Very insightful, but no! I'm glad you liked.)

So, my poll is still up, and I put up a Deviation I actually like on DA. Check 'em out if you want. As for here, the idea I want will have short, personalized chapters, so it'll probably be more than one chapter this month. Maybe a few more over this here vacation despite the dentist visits I forgot I had. Don't ask...

But on with the chapter anyways!

* * *

(3rd Person PoV)

Gazzy was in a room with Nudge. Officially, he was sharing with Iggy, but he was seeming kind of…off. The eight-year-old already knew that Katie had sort of changed Fang, for a while. Which, of course, changed Max. Which sort of changed everyone. But they'd gone back to normal-ish, and Iggy got worse.

Then Angel had asked to switch for the day, saying something about having had "A Nudge Channel headache." Whatever. If his sister wanted to put up with Iggy's weirdness, that was fine with Gaz. There was a little something-or-other in the back of his head. An instinct, maybe.

He shook it off. It didn't matter. They were perfectly safe. He didn't know how he knew, but his mind told him so. He tried to listen to the commercial on the TV, but he couldn't focus right. Nudge was on the other bed singing along to the commercial and reading a magazine Annabeth had given her. Her eyes slid along the page with ease…maybe a bit too much ease. Nudge could read, but not _that_ fast.

It was then that Gazzy noticed her eyes sliding a bit farther to the side than they needed to. She was looking at something besides the magazine. "What are you looking at?"

Her eyes widened as Nudge fumbled with her tabloid paper. With a dark blush staining her cheeks, she stuttered "Nothing! Nothing…just, I, well…"

"Whatever." Gazzy shrugged, but something in his stomach fluttered. Wait, what?

-FLASHBACK-

"_Fang…I got a question."_

"_Yeah, Gaz?"_

"…_What's it like?"_

"_What's what like?"_

"_Liking Max. How can you tell?"_

"_Maybe you should wait a while to hear it, Gaz."_

"_No! Angel knows and Iggy knows, and I'm the only one who doesn't!"_

"_Uh, well, it's like…like it always was. Nothing different."_

"_What's it_ like?"

"_It's hard to explain, Gaz."_

"_How did you know you like her?"_

"…_I guess…when I saw her, I felt like I was being pulled to her."_

"_Pulled to her? Like, something grabbing you by the arm?"_

"_No. More like…I needed to be close to her. Something in my head was pulling me to her. Something in my stomach was doing flips. It still does."_

"_Oh…"_

"_Any reason you want to know?"_

"_No! Just curious."_

"_Sure, Gazzy. Sure."_

-END FLASHBACK-

Gazzy curled over a bit. He put his arms around his midsection, trying to stop it. It didn't hurt, but it was _gross_. His stomach was doing flips. For _Nudge_.

But he couldn't _like_ her! She was practically his _sister_!

But Max was almost Fang's sister! They were closer than _anyone_!

The Gasman put his hands to his temples. Looking over at Nudge, the pain spiked. She didn't seem to see him wince, though, because she was focusing a little too intensely on his eyes.

They got closer. Gazzy's stomach was doing a gymnastics routine by this point. He couldn't look away from her eyes, barely noticing what should have been a crippling pain in the back of his mind.

The bird-kids leaned in, and, for the briefest of seconds, touched lips.

For Gazzy, at least, it was almost like a dream.

That is, until he passed out.

Maybe he _did_ like her.

* * *

AN: Short chapters are short (and unedited, as usual). So, anyone see The Lightning Thief? Blah. It was _nothing_ like the book. It's making so many mistakes, like the Styx being made of _air_. What?! Jeeze, read book 5, he needs to swim in that!

I'll say again, poll still up, plz to be voting on it.

R&R? Tell me what you think of the multiple short chapters, maybe. Oh, and I may as well say that I almost never believe the spoilers I read so whatever. But...

To those of you who have read FANG: _Do Fang and Max stay together?!_


	13. 12 What Is Going On?

AN: Hey there guys. Aren't week-long vacations the best thing ever? Yes, yes it is. To mah reviewer, "Zoe625", yes, Nazzy is so cute! Thanks!

Also...oh, geeze, I think I forgot this last chapter...

**Double Disclaimer:** I do not own the Maximum Ride stuffs. If I did, FANG would already be out in the US.  
**Claimer:** I own my OCs, suck as Katie and Mason. I also own the short chapters that disgrace me so.

Stuff about the poll on my profile at the bottom.

Begin teh reading, mah peoplez!

* * *

(3rd Person PoV)

The sound of the storm was drowning out the others in their rooms. Either that or they were unusually silent. But Angel wouldn't let Iggy ignore her. Sitting with his knees to his chest, he couldn't find any way to push her words from his mind.

_What is_ wrong _with you, Iggy? Even_ Gazzy _noticed it. Gazzy!_

"That's my business, Angel. Not yours. So _get out_." He couldn't help but speak aloud, as if he couldn't put enough strength into his mind to think.

_No. Not until you tell me what's wrong._

"Nothing's wrong, Angel. _Go away._"

_Iggy-_

"Angel!** Get out!**"

_Get out of your head?_

"Get out of my head, get out of my room, get out, _get out_, _**get out!**_"

_Iggy…something's wrong…_

"You keep saying that! Just _get out_ and tell Nudge, or something!"

_Something's wrong with the others._

"No, there isn't, Angel. There's nothing wrong with me. So _get out_."

_I didn't say…I didn't…I… …what?_

"You're just getting freakier, Angel. _Get out_."

_Iggy…something's wrong…_

"You don't know anything Angel! _Get out!_"

_Iggy…what happened today, at breakfast?_

"_Get ou-_ …breakfast? Nothing, just…nothing." Iggy scrambled for words.

_No, it was something. Why were you angry?_

"That jerk pissed me off! The little !?$!?$ thinks she's his! And Fang, too! They don't get it! They're _mine!_"

…_Who's yours, and who thinks…__**what**__?_

"That ass Mason and my so-called brother Fang think that Katie and Max belong to them. They don't. They're_ mine_."

_They don't belong to anybody! Fang and Mason love them like you love Ella!_

"**You just don't understand!**" Angel left Iggy's mind after that. But her words echoed through him. They wouldn't be silenced by the new thoughts entering his head. The thoughts that didn't quite seem like his.

_You love Ella!_

_You love Ella!_

_You love Ella!_

_You love Ella!_

_You love Ella!_

_You love Ella!_

_You love Ella!_

_**You love Ella!**_

His mind broke free, from what he didn't know. A crashing pain hit his mind, searing through his skull. He toppled over, onto the ground, and felt one of Angel's sneakers by his head.

"What is going on?" He murmured.

Then his world was awash with a new darkness, and he sank into it.

* * *

AN: Short chapter is shorter. Jeeze, what the Fax, self? Learn to write more. But no, this one is the most shortest (I hope). I have -does calculations- Chapter 18 done early, I think. And maybe 19/20, depending on where I put it...

R&R? No creative way to put it, I apologize. Also; if one more person votes on my current poll, I will attempt to magically find some creativity for a new one.

Also also; I have a little thing written up (did I tell you this already?) from my The Lady and the Tiger kick a week or two back, and it is teh Faxfic. If anyone wants to see it, I can put it up after all these short ones are done. Then, as is the The Lady and the Tiger tradition, you will choose the ending I write next! Yay!

...And if anyone knows if Fang really dies, plz to be telling me.

IFX: **The Faxfan must knoooooowwww!**

Me: Oh, jeez, this again...

IP: -facepalm-


	14. 13 Fang's Heartbeat

AN: I'm a horrible person. Sorry I'm slow updating this month, guys! Stuff goin' on. If you actually want to know, you can get to my DeviantArt page through my profile. Mainly, I've got a picture I think might actually be good that I want to sell, and I'm writing a book. Please to be seeing the profile poll, kthx. Also...when was the last time I updated this? Pre-Fang? Sheesh. Wanna have a chat about it, head on over to DA.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own MR (wouldn't want to right now!)  
**Claimer:** I own my loosely mentioned OCs.

On to tha chaptaaa!

* * *

(3rd Person PoV) (_KSPoV_)

What had started out as a small drizzle was rapidly turning into a violent thunderstorm. The sounds of angels bowling seemed to actually rattle the windows of the room, as rain spattered the glass. Max didn't worry too much about it, though. How could she when she was so comfortable here in Fang's arms?

It was so weird. The rain was out there, just a few feet from her, but Max felt like she was a whole world away. On another planet, while someone else was here, a few feet from a downpour. She was instantly jealous of that person, whoever they were. She was stuck on some other planet, while _they_ were here with her Fang.

…_Maybe she wanted that._

What was she thinking? She sighed, squirming in place a little to bring herself closer to Fang. His heartbeat was loud, warm, and comforting. Surely she was on this planet, with that steady drumming to keep her anchored.

_But it was keeping her up. She wanted to sleep!_

The rhythm was lulling her into a dream.

"_Maximum, stay awake._"

"Not now, Voice. I'm tired. Just let me fall asleep with Fang, I'll save the world later."

_But that stupid heartbeat was keeping her up!_

"_Maximum, it is important. Stay awake. Pay attention to what's going on._"

"I don't want to."

_She didn't want to pay attention. She didn't want to be awake. She didn't want to be here with Fang. She didn't want to save the world._

_Maximum! Stay Awake! Fight it!_

"…Fight what?"

_Maybe the Voice meant that stupid heartbeat. She had to make it stop._

"_Maximum Ride! Snap out of it!_"

"…What?" What…was…happening…?

_All she had to do was reach around, put her hand on his neck, and squeeze. Then the heartbeat would be gone and she could sleep._

"…Tired…sleep…heartbeat…? Yeah…okay…"

_He wouldn't suspect a thing. She could make the heartbeat stop, and then she could sleep. She just had to move her arm…_

"…Move…? Wha'…? …Okay…" Max's body went limp, all her effort on moving her arm. She just wanted to sleep, here with Fang…

Fang. Fang's heartbeat. She was going to…stop Fang's heartbeat?! Her arm twitched minutely, all her energy bent on strangling the one she loved. The one problem, or perhaps the one thing that saved him, was the fact that her arm wouldn't move. Instead, her vision began to turn black. Yet, at the edge of her mind, Max registered two things.

One: Her arm was no longer under her control, and was moving towards Fang's neck slowly enough that he might not notice before it was too late.

Two: The Voice was, for a split second, recognizable. Someone she knew. Someone who knew her. Someone who knew of Fang's unawareness when close to Max, and knew that if he didn't pay attention, he'd be unintentionally strangled by the person closest to him.

"_NO MAX**!**_"

* * *

AN: Short. Chapter. Is. Short. Blah. Yeah, this one...this one is short, because I wrote its companion first. Yeah, I have a few written out of order. I think the next one's at least half-way good to go, so...great.

R&R? Si vous plait? Merci. No idea if that was spelled right. Meh.

So, uh, poll. Picture. Yeah. And stuff.

Vio: And me.  
Me: Yes! Guys, this is Vio, from the LoZ: Four Swords manga. He, my favorite, is here to aid me in my literary endeavors. Anyone who read the manga knows that his whole thing was just being the only one who can see the big picture, and he's happy to have me as a like-minded peer.  
IH: We're still here, though!  
Me: Yup, they be here. And to economize on space, stuff might be scrunched together like this. So yeah. Bye!  
Vio: It was a pleasure meeting you.


	15. 14 Neither Received a Funeral

AN: Happy April Fools' Day, everyone! Ahh, crap, I didn't poisson d'avril anyone. There's still an hour, I can get Sarah.  
Vio: Probably not.  
Me: Yeah, no. Well, DeviantArt is fun on the day of today. I have an idea for a thing, guys. More at the bottom. Also, reviewers at the bottom, and I'm sorry I forgot them last chapter! Gah!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own...stuff. Like, Fang or Max or the Voice (in a way.).  
**Claimer:** Uh...a stack of LoZ mangas...a couple characters...stuff.

Enough with my rambling obliviousness, on with the chapter!

* * *

(KPoV) (_KSPoV_)

You never know what will happen when you're gone.

Things can happen behind your back. Things can happen around you. When you're frozen, it doesn't matter where it happens. You can't see it, you can't stop it, you can't help it. Things can happen when you're gone.

People change, get close to others. People stay the same, always close to you. People can drift away from your memory while you're gone. You're lucky if they recognize you when you meet again.

I was gone. I was frozen. I wasn't lucky. But here I am, with two friends who remember me, two friends who are still close to me. One friend who has gotten closer to me, one friend who has gotten closer to someone else.

I hadn't planned to make friends. But Mason had run away from home, and Fang had never _seen_ home. One was with me for convenience; one was with me for companionship. They were both so different, yet they both seemed a little like me.

Fang was designed to evolve. He constantly had to change something to survive. Change his style of fighting in an arena filled with Erasers. Change how much mercury he could have in his system while strapped to a table, writhing in pain. But somehow, once he'd met Max, he became a rock. He never changed on the outside, if he could help it. On the inside, his body was always working, always trying to survive. In his heart, he had so much of both; always in love with Max, but changing to let me back into his life.

Mason was born to adapt. The both of us were. Maybe even little Angel, who didn't truly know what she had. But I had figured it out. We all were born with a certain DNA. A certain something that helped us stay alive. The average person uses 10% of their brain. We are born with the capacity for so much more. Angel, with all her powers, may be able to use at least 35% (you can't say I can't do math!). I, with what little of a power with so much kick, might use 20%. Mason, skull completely intact, untouched by the science that formed so much, uses 15.

But none of that could help me now. Staring out into the rainy street, my pupils dilated wildly. Jaw clenched, I tried to force myself into a vision. This so rarely worked, giving blurry results at best. Whatever light bounced into my eyes that other brains could not process were not mine to control; only to receive. But at least blurry results made a little sense!

_Things were exploding, the street peppered with gunfire. Civilians dived for cover. A few street kids pulled back into their alleys, hiding behind trash cans and bags of garbage, a dumpster for those lucky enough to have use of one. The only problem? Whatever was shooting was invisible._

I knew it was M-Geeks. They were the only explanation that made sense. But they were made of some odd metal. Some odd metal that didn't reflect light in a way that I could see. No matter how hard I looked, I couldn't see them in my visions. I relied on my sense of what would happen, seeing fights in my dreams, playing them out as I saw them. If I couldn't see the M-Geeks coming, I couldn't see what moves they'd make; I couldn't really fight them.

If I was being honest, it terrified me. Why else would I be sitting by the window staring out at the storm in a (dare I say it?) _forlorn_ manner. There were things I could do, so many other, more definite events to ponder. But my mind always brought me back to the same issue. I was so vulnerable; when I could have been outside, dragging Mason back in by his face, I was inside a froofy hotel room cowering like a…a…a Jeb!

A wave of dizziness rolled over me, bringing with it a series of flashes.

_Max held the note, crying. The flock and someone-Dylan, my instincts told me- gathered around her. He was gone._

_He leaned out over the building roof, wings pressed tightly to his back. "Someday," he whispered, pulling a safe distance away from the drop. "But not today."_

_A small winged child, blond haired and brown eyed, fluttered about between his parents. Dylan smiled enthusiastically at his son, as Max simply grinned. She glowed with euphoria, one hand on the barely noticeable bulge on her stomach. She had everything she could ever want or need, but wasn't she forgetting something?_

_Alone. He was alone. He had no one. He leaned out over the cliff edge, wings pressed tight against his back. Hawks swirled around him in a frenzy; what he planned went against their instincts. They tried to stop him. They couldn't do it. "It was today," he whispered, the words snatched away by the wind as he fell._

_She had no idea what was going on. She was going to pass painlessly, of that you could be sure. The tiny digital counter had stopped ticking down years ago; yet it was only now that the government had truly shut down Itexicon. The power went off with a spark, and the tube was flash-frozen shut. The girl inside, still so young after all these years, was the mutant equivalent of a frozen TV dinner. Defrosting wrong, the heat left to return naturally, slowly, rather than scientifically, quickly. Her blood became slush in her veins, parts of her going so far as to melt from within. She never opened her eyes, dying slowly and peacefully in an abandoned lab._

_Neither received a funeral._

That…was gruesome beyond belief. Perhaps even worse was the little instinct in the back of my head. Squirt was in trouble.

What happened next was hard to understand, even harder to explain. It was like…some part of my brain had been asleep. But now it was very much awake. Or at least, I had become _aware_ of it. I could sense things that I knew weren't happening in my room, but Max's. I could sense her fading heartbeat. I felt her shallow breath.

I could feel her brain unwillingly sending instructions to her arm. It was trying to strangle Fang.

All of my strength went into one thought, two little words that left my mind, and seemed to hang in the open air until finding a pathway into someone else's head, leaving me with only dark unconsciousness.

"_NO MAX!_"

* * *

AN: And that was (finally!) a slightly longer chapter. Woo. So, first...

R&R? Also, on the topic of reviews, reviewers are "Kina Kalamari" (It's meant to confuse you for this whole series of small different PoV chapters. Confusion means I'm doing my job.:D ), "1-ceth" (Such encouragement!), and "Zoe625" (Yes. Yes he does.:D ).

I still have up my book poll, so yeah. Also, my idea. I want to see how many Llama Badges I can get on DA. Anyone with an account, I'll give you one if you give me one. :) Need to work on the next chapter...I barely know which ones I've started and which ones I haven't...  
Also, has anyone figured out what font has to do with plot? 'Cause some things, I do on purpose (but I pretty much spell it out anyways.:D )

So, uh, am I done? Feels like I'm forgetting something...meh. Bye everyone!  
Vio: Bye!  
Me: -cough-Llama!-cough-


	16. 15 Eyes

AN: Hey thar, u gaiz! -sigh- Yeah, I'm a little...uhh...late(?) with this. Don't worry, chapter 18 is already at least partially written. I cannot say the same for chapter 17. Ahh, this one's kinda crappy I guess, but I love certain parts of it. :D Stuff at the bottom.

Someone play the Song of Soaring and let's go!

* * *

(3rd Person PoV)

Nudge couldn't focus on anything for long. From one subject to the next, just hopping around, with never a dull silence or an awkward pause.

That was especially true today, with Gazzy so close to her. Ah, yes; she was at that age. The age Max had said would bring changes, in body _and_ behavior. She'd begun to change the way she thought about things, especially a certain flock member.

A commercial came on, with a very catchy tune. Something about free credit and a pirate. Whatever. It was fun to sing, so she did. But it didn't distract her from what she was really doing.

Gazzy looked over, and Nudge tried to keep her eyes from sliding over to him. Unsuccessfully, of course. Being in a hotel meant access to showers, and the thin layer of dirt and ash she was used seeing had washed away. Of course it had, she mused. They were in care of the government, with food and showers daily before this. Yet she still expected to see some sort of grime on the flock. It was a part of them.

Just as Gazzy's wings were a part of him. Of course, there were other parts to him too. His hair was standing up like something had just exploded in his face. His smile was mischievous, as if he was pulling a prank on someone he cared about. His eyes, oh his eyes, were just like those of the movie star in the top 50 most dateable celebrities list, from the magazine Nudge was reading.

Well, trying to read. It was hard to focus on the words, with such little spelling ability and Gazzy so close to her, looking at her with _those eyes_-

"What are you looking at?"

Heat rose to her cheeks, and with wide eyes, Nudge tried to conceal her thoughts. "Nothing! Nothing…just, I, well…"

How could she be so stupid?! Nudge thought she heard Gazzy say something, but was too embarrassed to focus on what it was. Gazzy was just an eight-year-old! He didn't like girls yet! Especially not Nudge! It'd be better just to get over it and move on and _stop staring at him!_

And yet…God, those _eyes_-

Her heart jumped as they moved in closer. Gaz seemed to be just as captivated by her eyes as she was by his. She stared into them, and then-

They were kissing. Her heart nearly burst out of her chest, though her mind shut down. That was why, when Gazzy collapsed, Nudge didn't realize what had happened until it was too late. She passed out on top of him, crumpled on the rug between the beds.

_Maybe he __**is**__ old enough to like girls._

* * *

AN: So yeah. :P Uh, stuff. It be there.

R&R? Thanks! There's a poll on my profile. Uh, anyone who's bored should just check to see if I've updated the poll with the chapter. I usually do, I think.

Much thanks to my reviewers "1-ceth" (uhh...sorry it's been so long? Heheh. I'll keep trying for fast, but with me I can't make guarantees), "Zoe625" (Thanks! Yeah, he is. ), and "Kina Kalamari" (Yes you are. Yes it was. Yes it is. lol.). Thank you all so much. I really appreciate it. Ahh, the next one's Angel. I'm not sure how I'll pull it off, but I'll try. Also, I've apparently sold shirts on CafePress. Wow.

...I think I'm forgetting something, but whatever. -shrug-  
Vio: Meaning, of course, that it's something important.  
Me: Yup, that about sums it up. Bye, guys!!


	17. 16 Understand

AN: Short ANs are short. Stuff at the bottom. Yeah.

**Disclaimer:** I own NUSINK!  
**Claimer:** Kate, Mason, and this plot are mine. 'Kay? 'Kay.

I had something witty to put here, but it died.

* * *

(3rd Person PoV)

It was amazing to Angel how stubborn someone could be if they really tried.

Especially Iggy.

_What is_ wrong _with you, Iggy? Even_ Gazzy _noticed it. Gazzy! _She couldn't do anything but argue with the pyro, as he continuously denied her access to his real thoughts.

"That's my business, Angel. Not yours. So _get out_." His voice was strong both in his mind and out loud. The seven-year-old flinched a little at the ice in his tone.

_No. Not until you tell me what's wrong._ She wouldn't let him win this argument until she got at least a tiny explanation.

"Nothing's wrong, Angel. _Go away._"

_Iggy-_

"Angel! **Get out!**"

_Get out of your head?_

"Get out of my head, get out of my room, get out, _get out_, _**get out!**_"

At that, Angel's patience ended. How easy it would be to force him to give her answers, if only she were the leader!

The girl brightened at that. She _could_ be the leader. The only one in her way was Max. She could take care of her easily. All she'd need to do was mind control her to go to Itex or Chu or someone, and-

No! What was she thinking? She couldn't do that to Max! Shaking it off, Angel listened in on the others to see how they were doing. Something in her gut told her bad stuff was gonna happen. Really bad.

_Something is wrong._

_But I can't_ like _her! She's practically my_ sister_!_

_Not now, Voice. I'm tired. Just let me fall asleep with Fang, I'll save the world later._

_That…was gruesome beyond belief._

_His hair was standing up like something had just exploded in his face._

_I never want to move, unless it's to bring Max closer to me._

Angel couldn't sense much from them, but Mason was somehow the clearest and most foggy mind. Besides Iggy. Wait, what?

_Iggy…something's wrong…_

"You keep saying that! Just _get out_ and tell Nudge, or something!" Might not be the best idea…

_Something's wrong with the others._

"No, there isn't, Angel. There's nothing wrong with me. So _get out_." But Angel hadn't mentioned him this time!

_I didn't say…I didn't…I… …what?_

"You're just getting freakier, Angel. _Get out_."

_Iggy…something's wrong…_

"You don't know anything Angel! _Get out!_" Denial: not just a river in Egypt.

_Iggy…what happened today, at breakfast?_

"_Get ou-_ …breakfast? Nothing, just…nothing." Iggy scrambled for words, mentally _and_ out loud.

_No, it was something. Why were you angry?_

"That jerk pissed me off! The little !$!$ thinks she's his! And Fang, too! They don't get it! They're _mine!_" Umm, language Ig.

…_Who's yours, and who thinks…__**what**__?_

"That ass Mason and my so-called brother Fang think that Katie and Max belong to them. They don't. They're _mine_." WHAT?

_They don't belong to anybody! Fang and Mason love them like you love Ella!_

"**You just don't understand!**"

Oh, Angel understood alright. She understood with perfect clarity.

As a mind reader, she was ashamed to have not known earlier.

But before she could mention anything, the thoughts of the flock and the thoughts being given to them rose up against her mind, crashing and slashing and beating against her skull. She thought she heard Iggy fall, but she was too far gone. She couldn't handle it. She went under.

* * *

AN: My answer to the plotholes is obvious here. But in case you haven't figured it out, I won't tell you 'till next chapter. Also, I finally figured out where this is going, and it even leaves some wiggle room in the event of a sequel. Also...

R&R? Merci! And much thankingness to my reviewers "emotionalpoemgirl" (Thanks!), "Kina Kalamari" (Yeah, well, I'm one of those "other half of the soul" peoples. They're both young. :P), and "for the love of Iggy" (Thank you! I will.). If I left anyone out...it's late. Feel free to yell at me later.

Feel free to check out my now-Premium account on DA. I has poll. There _and_ here. And...I feel like I'm forgetting something. Probably am. Meh

Also, the others would be here, but they're asleep.  
Vio: St...Stah...stahh ihhh. S'creepeehh. -snort- -roll over-  
Me: ...I cannot express how much I want to know what he's dreaming of right now.


	18. 17 Every Time

AN: It appears I have managed to confuse at least one or two people greatly. Explanation in chapter, and, I did plan on outright saying it, but I figured the next chapter covers anything this one doesn't. OH! My We Rule crops are ready. -harvests- Yeah, it's on o' them farm game things, but it's also a kingdom thing, so I'm addicted. Yay. Moving right along...

**Disclaimer:** I dun own crap. A'ight? A'ight.  
**Claimer:** Stuff.

On with chapter! Huzzah!

* * *

(3rd Person PoV)

Thunder crashed outside the window, where cold rain drenched everything in its path. But inside the room, it was warm.

At least, to Fang it was.

Max was looking out the window, deep in thought, as he was curled around her. Both of their backs were to the door, Max's wings pressed tightly to Fang's chest. He knew that if Iggy could see them, he'd crack some kind of joke that'd get him punched. For some reason, Fang didn't care. It may have been the warmth emanating from Max, calming his mind and sedating his body. He never wanted to move, unless it was to bring his girlfriend closer to him.

In front of him, Max sighed. She attempted to bring herself closer the sound of Fang's heartbeat as he closed his eyes and pressed his face into her hair. He breathed in her scent, that of something sweet that he couldn't name, yet was so familiar to him.

His stomach muscles tightened minutely. Something was off, something he couldn't quite name.

But he had nothing to complain about. What could be wrong when he was there with Max?

He wasn't sure, but it had to be something. He wanted to just get out of the room.

But _Max_ was in this room! The thing he wanted most was to stay here with her!

Or maybe it was getting away from her. He couldn't stand being this close to her.

What? No, he wanted to be _with_ her! He had waited for this practically his entire life, he wasn't giving it up now! Or ever! Every cell in his body seemed to hum with energy, some with pain, some with pleasure. Yet somehow, his muscles remained loose, his head still resting by Max's; she hadn't been alerted to the thoughts waging war in his mind.

He wanted to leave.

He wanted to stay!

He had to get away.

He had to keep her close!

He deserved better.

He was undeserving of her!

He hated her!

_**He loved her more than anything!**_

"_You will respond the way we tell you to, bird-boy!"_

Fang's eyes flashed open. That hadn't been his imagination…and Max was far too still in his arms. Looking down at his love, Fang couldn't suppress a shudder.

Her eyes were closed, her breathing shallow. Her heartbeat, so prominent to him before, was slower than anything close to being conscious.

A wave of darkness threatened to pull him under, but Fang fought against it. Max was far too important to go unconscious now! And she needed him.

So he would be there for her.

Every time.

* * *

AN: …Y'know, if she doesn't strangle him first.

Looking back over this, I realize how short it is. But I can't really make it longer without extending the whole thing, and, it's just a big thing. Also,

R&R? Yay. Also, my reviewers were "reader238" (Thanks!), "Kina Kalamari" (-smirk- Don't worry, Angel only gets it because she's the freakiest 7-year-old ever. I do hope you get it now, though. If not, next chapter AHOY!), "emotionalpoemgirl" (Nah, Iggy doesn't know What Is Going On.), and "JJ" (Thank you! :D And yes, they're almost as awesome as the ones RR put in The Red Pyramid.)

Also, guys, Poll up. Here and DA. Please vote, on account of I'd like to know your thoughts. It is on the topic of... A SEQUEL! -DUNDUNDUN- Yeah, this is ending a crudely estimated minimum 2or3 chapters, 5 max. So, I'll probably go through with it anyways, but yeah. I'd like thoughts.

Uhh, that all? I think that's all. 'Till next time guys! -waves-


	19. 18 Yes, sir

AN: Ahhh, God, YouTube is awesome. Hey, isn't I supposed to do sumthin'?  
IP: -points to MR fandom-  
Me: That exists?  
Vio: -points to stories- -points to The Frozen Girl-  
Me: That exists?_ OH, CRAP, THAT EXISTS!_

...Uhh, h-hey there guys! I...I WAS DISTRACTED BY THE SPARKLY POTATO CHIPS AND THE KILLER NOTEBOOKS! AND CARAMELLDANSEN IMPRINTED ON MY AGAINST MY WILL!  
Vio: In other words, her attention span shortened by a large margin and now lasts all of 5-10 minutes.  
Me: Duhh, and there's that... So, important stuffs at the bottom. Ahh, this is really probably bad, 'cause I haven't reread it since I decided it needed more to it. So I added stuff then decided it was good enough and-let's just pretend it's good, okay? Also, the bottom AN in italics is from when I originally wrote this chapter. This painfully, painfully short chapter.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own a lot of stuff. Like a Death Note or wings or anything awesome like that. Meh.  
**Claimer:** I _do_ own my OCs and High Security M-Geeks, because I'm awesome.

* * *

(3rd Person PoV)

The M-Geeks fastened the chains to the wrists and ankles of the unconscious flock. Their leader had been surprised to see Fang awake and fighting, both against the robots and the Mental Command Device, but the lone bird-boy and the few humans helping him had been no match for such forces. The most concerning, no, second most concerning part was Maximum's resistance to the MCD. While obviously not as strong as Fang's, it made the job of disposing of him that much harder. Whatever they did to him now, it would need to be drastic. They needed to break Maximum, just enough to rebuild her how they wanted.

The most pressing issue was the girl.

Having been unable to reach her or the small one directly, the MCD was used on their receptive powers. This one was obviously controllable, and Chu had plans for her. Many plans indeed.

* * *

Wires were sticking in her. They hurt.

She was somewhere bright. No, no, it was dark. It…it was bright and dark. There was something cold under her. There was something travelling through her, in a wave. Water? Electricity?

She could see something. What was it? It…looked like someone was…something…doing…huh?

And for a while, there was blackness.

Until there was anything but. Memories rushed at her, sifting and swirling and slamming into her until she just COULDN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!

But there was something pushing them back. Some sort of pressure. She almost let it push everything back completely, but something was nagging at her; some stray thought so ingrained into her that it wouldn't let go. It told her to push back.

It was useless though. The pressure surrounded her, and forced down.

* * *

"Number 247! Status report."

"Subject is responding correctly." A robotic, tinny voice intoned.

"Very well. Send her in."

The M-Geek turned to the door and jerkily punched a code into the keypad. With a Star Wars like noise, the seemingly solid area split in half, receding into the doorjamb. Four High Security M-Geeks, normal save for the larger, sleeker guns attached to their arms, strode in systematically, with a girl between them.

She had pale skin, as if she had gone years without touching sunlight. Her long dirty-blond hair was slightly matted and stringy, like that of a wet dog. The ancient burn mark on her hand was emphasized, and the jagged scar on her forehead seemed like it would rip open and bleed at any moment.

The only change to her body was her eyes. They glinted like metal in the low light, and had the colors of silver and diamonds. They stared emptily in front of her, seeing nothing but her path.

"Katie. How pleasant of you to join us." She said nothing. "I do hope you weren't troubled by the capture of your friends and the reconstruction of your thought process." Her gaze didn't falter. "No? Good. You take my orders now."

She responded now, without looking at him. "Yes, sir."

"Good. You'll do well for me. Number 831, let in Daniels." At the order of Mr. Chu, a High Security M-Geek moved to a second door and entered another code. A boy stepped into the room, no more than 17 years old, with a large gun strapped to his back. His light blond hair was combed neatly, and his shoes were as shiny as his ice blue eyes.

"Katie, this is Alexander Daniels. He will be your superior once Maximum is broken and works for us. Know him well, and begin taking his orders immediately."

"Yes, sir." She replied in monotone, and turned to face the boy.

He held out his hand. "Bonjour, Mademoiselle."

"Bonjour, Monsieur. Qu'est-ce qu'il te fait?" She questioned. They shook hands.

"Il ne me fait pas, merci."

"I'll leave you to attend to her. M-Geeks!" At that, Mr. Chu and his many robots exited the room, giving the two underlings time to establish the rules and regulations of Chu Inc. He was confident that with her powers, emotions, and attachments stifled, the girl would be loyal to him. Daniels, of course, had proven his loyalty. He had no reason to help the mutants.

In the near empty room, a conversation was occurring.

Alexander studied Katie's eyes. "Êtes-vous pour la révolution?"

She met his stare.

"Oui, Monsieur."

_Yes, sir._

* * *

AN: _Anyone who can translate that for me gets mentioned next chapter in the AN. No, you probably can't translate it, because I tried checking my work and it was like "U r a n00b lol." And I was like "Oui. Oui je suis." So, good luck. Also, I may have been taught wrong. Anyone actually from France (or another French speaking country), please tell me if it makes any sense at all. It's probably nothing close to what I was going for._

Hhooookaaaay, uhhh, more words here than last chapter. Ugh, still though. I...no, no excuses. -shrug- Gots nothin'.

Reviewer was "emotionalpoemgirl" (So close, so close!). Also, if people aren't getting it after this chapter, I'll redo it 'cause I'm pretty sure the plot necessitates it be explained by now... I think? Augh, I've been focusing on a Death Note half-crack (due to being written at late night hours) half-SRS BSNS (due to my srs nature and also murder and Mello being Mello). So, **Poll** here and on DA for that. Also...

R&R? Teh plzrz? Kthx. (Picking up FANFICTION!Matt's use of gamer l33t? Why, what would make you think that?) Also, people who don't know what Death Note is, please to be going to read it. I suggest buying it. The whole series. You must. Now.

Also, yes I'll do a sequel. HURRAH!one! It will most likely be called Thawing Out, and I hope it will be of better quality than this. Not even reading back, just from memory, I'm pretty sure my style was all over the place. Lol, I guess it's a thing.  
Vio: I would suppose that that's it...  
Me: Uhh, yup, think so! -pets FullMetal Alchemist on top of stack of Death Note and Zelda mangas- I have a weird hybrid fic thing to work on. Once again, Poll for that, and ah, bye! (/awkward)


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